Fig. 5.

Increased recruitment of MT4-MMP-null patrolling monocytes in incipient atherosclerotic lesions. a Representative orthogonal XZ view images of whole-mount-stained lesser curvature of the aortic arch from Ldlr^–/– mice transplanted with MT4-MMP^+/+ or MT4-MMP^–/– BM cells and fed a HFD for 3 days. Samples were stained for CD115 (magenta) and Ly6C (green); elastin autofluorescence (green) and nuclei (Hoechst, blue). The bar graph (right) shows the quantification of the number of patrolling (CD115+Ly6C–) and classical monocytes (CD115+Ly6C+) in the aorta lumen; n = 6 mice per genotype in two independent experiments. b Representative confocal microscopy images of whole-mount-stained lesser curvature of the aortic arch from Ldlr^–/– mice adoptively transfer with Cx3cr1^Gfp/+ MT4-MMP^+/+ or Cx3cr1^Gfp/+ MT4-MMP^–/– patrolling monocytes and fed a HFD for 3 days. Samples were stained for GFP (red) and CD31 (gray); elastin autofluorescence (green) and nuclei (Hoechst, blue). A z-stack of the confocal microscopy sections close to the lumen (with an inset of CD31 staining) is shown to the top and the orthogonal XZ view of the merged images to the bottom. Scale bar, 20 µm. The bar graph (right) shows the quantification of the number of transferred monocytes (GFP+) in the aorta lumen; n = 9 mice per genotype in two independent experiments. Data were tested by Student’s t-test. Results are expressed as mean ± SEM.*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01