Figure 1.

B cell deficiency reduced atherosclerosis, abolished B cells and reducedCD4 T cells in atherosclerotic lesions. ApoE^−/− and μMT^−/− ApoE^−/− mice (male 6–8 week-old) were fed a high fat diet for 8 weeks. At the end of experiment, B cell deficiency did not affect (A) body weight, (B) reduced spleen weight, and (C) completely abolished B cells in different tissues. CD4 T cells were unaffected (D) in peripheral blood, lymph nodes, and peritoneal cavities however spleen T cells were severely reduced. (E) B cell deficiency in μMT^−/− ApoE^−/− mice was associated with augmented plasma BAFF levels. B cell-deficient μMT^−/− ApoE^−/− mice showed reduced atherosclerosis as assessed by (F) total intimal lesion area and Oil Red-O stained lipid accumulation, however lipid content corrected as per lesion size was not affected. (G) Macrophage accumulation as corrected to lesion was not affected, but (H) B cells were completely absent and (I) CD4 T cells were reduced in atherosclerotic lesion of B cell-deficient mice. Representative microimages and histograms shown. Data presented as mean ± SEM of two to three independent experiments. n = 12–15 per group, *p < 0.05, □ ApoE^−/− mice ■ μMT^−/− ApoE^−/− mice.