A, D, G, Van Gieson elastin staining (dark purple indicates elastin
fibers) shows the presence of organized elastin fibers in the media of control
tissue and a net accumulation of elastin fibers in the intima of stable and
rupture-prone plaque. B-C, E-F, H-I, Corresponding
immunohistochemistry for tropoelastin (brown staining) shows lack of
tropoelastin positive fibers in control aortas, upregulation in stable and
deposition of a dense network of tropoelastin fibers in rupture-prone plaque.
J-K, Quantification of total elastin and tropoelastin shows
significantly higher tropoelastin in ruptured compared with stable plaque.