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. 2019 Mar 23;8(7):e010860. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.118.010860

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Angiotensin II increases circulating cfDNA and TLR9 expression in atherosclerotic aorta. A and B, Ang II infusion for 4 weeks to WTD‐fed Apoe −/− mice and Tlr9 −/− Apoe −/− mice increased circulating cfDNA as determined by dsDNA and ssDNA (n=12–18). Comparison between Ang II‐treated group and vehicle‐treated group in each strain was performed with Mann–Whitney U test. C and D, Ang II infusion for 4 weeks to WTD‐fed Apoe −/− mice promoted TLR9 expression at the RNA (C) and protein (D) level in the atherosclerotic aorta. Comparison between Ang II–treated group and vehicle‐treated group was performed with Mann–Whitney U test. E, Representative immunogold staining against ssDNA demonstrated the accumulation of gold particles (10 nm) in the cytoplasm of macrophages (arrows) in atherosclerotic lesions obtained from WTD‐fed Apoe −/− mice. Scale bar, 500 nm. Inset: lower magnification (scale bar, 2 μm). *P<0.05 and **P<0.01. All values are mean±SEM. Ang II indicates angiotensin II; cfDNA, cell‐free DNA; dsDNA, double‐stranded DNA; ssDNA, single‐stranded DNA; TLR9, Toll‐like receptor 9; WTD, Western‐type diet.