Figure 4.

The staining signal of IL10-coated, Atto655 labeled stealth-liposomes, detected on atherosclerotic-plaques and compared to controls.

Notes: Atto655 was purchased from ATTO-TEC GmbH, Siegen, Germany. Aortic sections of ApoE-deficient mice were incubated with Atto655-liposomes as a control (A) and (B), or coated with IL10 (C) and (D); NP signals are shown in green. Less-injured aortic areas are shown in (A) and (C) (blue area) and atherosclerotic-plaques in (B) and (D) (red area). The image of the IL10-Atto655-liposome stained plaque is depicted with co-stainings for CD68 (macrophages) shown in blue and for the nuclei shown in red. Atto655-liposomes were found to stain the whole aortic sections unspecifically, while IL10-Atto655-liposomes are preferentially accumulated at atherosclerotic-plaque areas. Bar indicates 50 μm.

Abbreviations: IL10, interleukin 10; NP, nanoparticle; ApoE, apolipoprotein E.