Figure 5.

NLRP3 Expression Along the Progressive Stages of Atherosclerosis and Complex Plaques

(A) Immunohistochemical characterization of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain–containing protein (NLRP) 3 expression and its correlation with the progression from adaptive intimal thickening to fatty streak and fibroatheroma in human carotid arteries. (B) Representative images of complex fibroatheromata in human carotid arteries stained for NLRP3 protein (NLRP3), fibrous cap collagen (Sirius red staining), macrophages (CD68), and intraplaque hemorrhage (Perl’s Prussian blue staining). (C) Spearman rank correlation analysis of associations between lesional NLRP3 and fibrous cap collagen, macrophage content, intraplaque hemorrhage, and plaque vulnerability. Data are presented as ranks of corresponding measurement in numeric order (n = 22).