Fig 2.

Efficiency of lentivirus transfection in atherosclerotic plaques. (A) and (B) were images from the same cryosection viewed under fluorescence microscopy in different conditions to identify GFP expression. (A) At baseline, background autofluorescence of the plaque was visible; (B) after use of SkyBlue 6B, the background autofluorescence was eliminated. (C), (D) and (E) were fluorescence images of plaques obtained 1 week, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after transfection, respectively. GFP fluorescence in the carotid plaques was visible 1 week after transfection (at week 9), and stronger fluorescence was observed 2 weeks after transfection (at week 10). Four weeks after transfection (at week 12) when the study was terminated, GFP was still visible, albeit weak. Scale bar = 100 μm.