UDCA ameliorates EWAT macrophage infiltration and angiogenesis in ob/ob mice. Normal and ob/ob mice were treated with or without 50 mg/kg UDCA for 14 days. Immunohistochemical staining of (A) CD11b, F4/80, CCR7, CD11c, CD206, and CD163. Scale bars, 50 µm. The intensity of positive staining (brown color) was measured. Red arrow highlights the positive staining. Scale bars, 50 µm. (B) CCR7, CD11c, CD163, and CD206 were detected by Western blot analysis in EWAT. Immunohistochemical staining of (C) HIF-1α, α-SMA, TGFβ RII, VEGF, VEGFRI, and VCAM. Red arrow highlights the positive staining. Scale bars, 50 µm. (D) TGFβ RII, VEGF and VEGFRI were detected by Western blot analysis in EWAT. In all panels, results are expressed as the mean ± S.E.M. of five independent experiments, and statistical significance of differences between means was assessed using an unpaired Student’s t-test (* p ≤ 0.05; normal vs. ob/ob. #
p ≤ 0.05; ob/ob vs. ob/ob + UDCA). EWAT, epididymal white adipose tissue; CD, cluster of differentiation; CCR7, C-C chemokine receptor type 7; HIF, hypoxia-inducible factors; α-SMA, alpha-smooth muscle actin; TGFβ RII, transforming growth factor beta receptor II; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; VEGFRI, VEGF receptor I; VCAM, vascular cell adhesion molecule.