Figure 3.

The atheroprotective effect of endogenous estrogens persists in 8‐month‐old estrogen receptor α mutated at cysteine 451 (ERα‐C451A)/low‐density lipoprotein receptor–deficient (LDLr^−/−) mice, whereas it is abolished in ERα‐AF20/LDLr^−/− mice. A, Four‐week‐old mice (n=5–7) were ovariectomized (OVX) or not (SHAM) and switched to atherogenic diet from the age of 6 weeks until euthanasia. Representative en face aorta preparations are shown with respective quantification of lesions from descending aorta of ERα‐AF20/LDLr^−/− (B) or ERα‐C451A/LDLr^−/− (C) mice and their respective littermates. Data are mean ± SEM. WT indicates wild type.