Figure 8.

Corylin reduces oxidative stress, VCAM-1 and NOX4 expression, monocyte adhesion, VSMC proliferation and atherosclerotic plaques in high cholesterol diet-treated aortae. (A,B) Oil Red O staining was performed on aortic sinus and thoracic aortic tissues. Representative photomicrographs are shown with quantifications of the ORO-positive area represented as a percentage of the total atherosclerotic plaque area. (C) Lipid droplets were stained using Bodipy. Representative images and quantification of the intensity of lipid staining within the oxLDL-treated RAW264.7 cells. (D) Representative images and quantification of the intensity of nitrotyrosine staining within the aortic sinus. Nuclei were labeled with DAPI (blue). (E) The expression level of VCAM-1 and NOX-4 in atherosclerotic plaques is shown according to immunohistochemical staining and Western blot analysis of the different groups. Nuclei are labeled with DAPI (blue). GAPDH or β-actin was analyzed in parallel as an internal control for protein loading. The data are expressed as fold changes relative to the control value. (F) En face microscopy images illustrate that BCECF/AM-labeled U937 cells bound the endothelium of the thoracic aortae. Quantification of the number of monocytes adhering to the aortae in the different groups is shown. The number represents a percentage of the control. (G) Immunohistochemical staining for SMC (red) and PCNA (brown) in cholesterol-fed ApoE mice. The internal elastic lamina is indicated by the arrowheads. The values are provided as the mean ± SD. * p < 0.05 versus the CTRL group. ^† p < 0.05 versus the cholesterol-fed group (CTRL, control group; cholesterol-fed, 0.15% cholesterol-enriched diet was fed for 15 weeks). (H) Representative cross-sections of injured femoral arteries. Neointimal hyperplasia is shown between the two arrows. * p < 0.05 versus the ED group. Scale bars = 100 μm (A,F,G,H), 1 cm (B), and 50 μm (C,D,E).