Fig. 6.

pLTA treatment reduces MMP-9 expression and endothelial cell destruction. Immunofluorescence images show changes in the expression of (A) MMP-9 or (B) CD31 in the aortic sinus of ApoE^−/− mice. For all color images, DAPI is blue and target proteins (MMP-9, CD31) are green (L, lumen; M, media). (C) Quantification of CD31 green fluorescence in aortic sinus is shown. (D) THP-1 cells were incubated in the presence or absence of pLTA (10 μg/ml) for 12 h. After incubation, cells were washed and then further incubated for 24 h in FBS-free media containing LPS (0.1 μg/ml). Culture supernatants were electrophoresed on a 10% SDS-PAGE gel copolymerized with 1% gelatin. Gelatinolytic activities were detected as unstained bands against the background of Coomassie blue stained gelatin. LPS-induced MMP-9 activation was inhibited by pLTA pretreatment. (E) Area of smooth muscle cells in aortic sinus lesion is stained by antismooth muscle actin.