Figure 6. Genetic reduction of LRP-1 in LysM-DKO mice restores the WT macrophage phenotype and the ApoE^−/− atherogenic phenotype.

A. ApoE^−/−/LysM-DKO mice were crossed with LRP-1^fl/fl mice to generate ApoE^−/−/LysM-DKO-LRP1^fl/+ mice. B. Elicited peritoneal Mϕs (n=5) were isolated from mice with the indicated genotypes, lysed, and analyzed by western blot with indicated antibodies. Total protein levels were normalized to Tubulin. *ApoE^−/−/LysM-DKO-LRP1^fl/+ group vs. ApoE^−/−/LysM-DKO group, P<0.01. C. RNA was isolated from bone marrow-derived Mϕs from WT(n=3), LysM-DKO(n=3), and LysM-DKO-LRP^fl/+ (n=3)mice, cDNA was made, and qPCR was performed using primers for the indicated genes. *Compared with ApoE−/−group, P<0.01. D. Bone marrow-derived Mϕs and elicited peritoneal Mɸs from WT(n=5), LysM-DKO(n=5), and LysM-DKO-LRP^fl/+ (n=5) mice were treated with oxLDL(25ug/ml, 24h) and stained with Oil Red O (bone marrow-derived Mɸs only) or Bodipy (lipids, green) and F4/80 (elicited peritoneal Mɸs, red). Scale bar=50μM. *ApoE^−/−/LysM-DKO-LRP1^fl/+ group vs. ApoE^−/−/LysM-DKO group, P<0.01. E and F. Aortic root sections and en face aortas from ApoE^−/− (n=8), ApoE^−/−/LysM-DKO (n=8), and ApoE^−/−/LysM-DKO-LRP^fl/+ (n=5) mice fed Western diet for 14 weeks were stained with Oil Red O. Scale bar=200μM and 250μM respectively. *ApoE^−/−/LysM-DKO group vs. ApoE^−/− group, P<0.01.