Figure 1.

A) [¹⁹F] MRS demonstrating time dependence of NP accumulation in ApoE null mouse aortas with or without a Western diet. Continuous Western diet feeding results in a significant increase in NP accumulation over age-matched normal chow controls. Return to a normal chow diet restores control levels of NP accumulation. Off-diet group at 6 months was not significantly different from age-matched normal chow controls. Trend analysis on Western diet and off-diet groups following 4 months on diet demonstrates significant difference in progression of NP accumulation (P = 0.015). ^†P = 0.003; ^‡P = 0.0009 vs. age-matched Western diet group. B) Immunofluorescent staining confirms abundant intraplaque thrombin (green) in mouse aortic plaques. Scale bar, 100 μm. C) Return to normal chow progressively increases carotid occlusion times to control values for both normal chow ApoE null mice (leftmost bar) and wild-type mice (dashed line: based on prior published data (14). *P = 0.0056, **P = 0.004 vs. control. HF, high-fat diet; NS, not significant. D) Correlation plot of aortic NP accumulation and carotid occlusion time (R = −0.64, P = 0.02) demonstrating relationship between vascular permeability and thrombotic potential.