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. 2014 Feb 21;9(2):e89227. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089227

Figure 4. Sustained inhibitory effects of rapamycin-loaded NPs on intimal hyperplasia in balloon-injured rat carotid arteries.

Figure 4

Balloon injury of rat carotid arteries was performed and rapamycin or rapamycin loaded NPs (300 µg rapamycin for both) dispersed in 300 µl pluronic gel was applied periadventitially immediately after vascular injury, as described in Methods. Solvent (DMSO) and NPs alone dispersed in pluronic gel were used as controls. Carotid arteries were retrieved 14 (A) or 28 days (B) after surgery. Sections were then prepared and H&E stained. Top panel shows representative microscopic images of carotid cross-sections from the indicated treatment groups. Bottom panel shows quantification of lumen size, intimal area, and intimal to media ratio (I/M). Data are presented as mean ± SEM from 5 animals in each group (*P<0.05 compared to DMSO control).