Figure 3. PCSK9-mediated increase in lesional Ly6Chi positive cells is LDLR-dependent.
(A) Serum hPCSK9 levels measured in LDLR−/− mice transplanted with bone marrow from LDLR−/− or hPCSK9tg/LDLR−/− mice (B) Representative immunofluorescence images showing hPCSK9 in atherosclerotic lesions of proximal aortas in LDLR−/−→LDLR−/−or hPCSK9tg/LDLR−/−→LDLR−/− mice. In green: hPCSK9; in blue: DAPI (C) Representative atherosclerotic lesions in cross-sections of proximal aortas of LDLR−/−→LDLR−/− or hPCSK9tg/LDLR−/−→LDLR−/− mice stained with Oil red O at 12 wk post-BMT (8 wk on HFD) (D) Representative immunofluorescence images of Ly6C in atherosclerotic lesions of proximal aortas of LDLR−/−→LDLR−/− or hPCSK9tg/LDLR−/−→LDLR−/− mice (E) Quantitation of the percentage of Ly6Chi positive cells compared to total number of cells in atherosclerotic lesions of proximal aortas of LDLR−/−→LDLR−/− or hPCSK9tg/LDLR−/−→LDLR−/− Student’s paired t-test was used for the analysis.