Figure 4. Id3^+/+ Apoe^−/− but not Id3^−/− Apoe^−/− B cells confer atheroprotection to B cell-deficient μMT ApoE^−/− mice.

a, Schematic of the experiment. At eight weeks of age, 30 × 10⁶ or 60 × 10⁶ splenic B cells from either Id3^+/+ Apoe^−/− or Id3^−/− Apoe^−/− donors were adoptively transferred into μMT Apoe^−/− recipients by tail vein injection. Control animals received an equal volume of PBS vehicle. Animals were allowed to recover for 72 hours, then fed a Western diet for 16 weeks. Aortas were harvested and analyzed by en face as described in Figure 1. b, Representative photos of aortic Sudan IV staining. c, Quantitation of aortic lesion size. Each point represents a single animal. *:p<0.05, **:p<0.002, ***:p<0.001, ****:p<0.005.