Fig. 4.

Analysis of plasma lipids and aortic and coronary atherosclerotic lesions in the WT and Ldlr +/− hamsters on the HCHF diet for 12 Weeks. (a and b) Plasma TC and TG were measured at the indicated time points in WT (n = 16) and Ldlr +/− (n = 20) hamsters on the HCHF diet for 12 weeks. The lesion size in the whole aorta was quantified in the mixed-sex hamsters. (c) Representative en face image of the whole aorta in the WT and Ldlr +/− hamster. (d–g) The lesion sizes in the whole aorta (D), aortic arch (e), thoracic aorta (f) and abdominal aorta (g) were quantified in the mixed-sex hamsters. (h) Representative Oil Red O staining of the aortic root in the WT and Ldlr +/− hamsters. (i) Lesion areas in the aortic root were quantified (WT, n = 16; Ldlr +/−, n = 20). ** denotes p < 0.01. (j) Immunohistochemical analysis of the atherosclerotic lesions in the WT and Ldlr +/− hamsters after 12 weeks on the HCHF diet. Representative staining of HE, CD68, VCAM1 and SMA in the lesion from the aortic root. (k) Representative image of the coronary atherosclerotic lesion in the WT and Ldlr +/− hamsters. (l) Semi-quantitative measurements of lesions in the coronary arteries of the WT (n = 16) and Ldlr +/− hamsters (n = 20). The arrows indicate positive staining. The black arrows indicate Oil Red O positive staining. Scale bar = 200 μm. All values are expressed the mean ± SEM.