Figure 7.

Reduced GAPDH level in atherosclerotic plaque SMCs was associated with oxidative stress and apoptosis. ApoE-null mice (n = 4) were fed a Western-type diet for 12 wk, then humanely killed under anesthesia, and the heart, together with aortic arch, was dissected, fixed, and paraffin embedded. Serial sections (6 μm) were taken throughout the entire aortic valve area and used for immunohistochemistry with GAPDH, α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA; SMC marker), and N-tyrosine (oxidative stress marker) Abs and stained with In Situ Cell Death Detection TUNEL-FITC kit. A) GAPDH immunopositivity (red) was reduced in SMCs from plaque cap (green) vs. adjacent SMCs in plaque-free aortic medium. B) Several SMCs in the atherosclerotic plaque (AP) fibrous cap were apoptotic (yellow arrows) and had increased levels of N-tyrosine (black arrows). L, lumen. Representative data are shown.