Echocardiographic measurements of AoV function of 5 month old mice, 4
months of high fat diet in all models except WT control. (WT: n=11,
LDLR−/−: n=17,
LDLR−/−IKKBvecKO: n=15) A,B,C. Mean AoV peak jet
velocity (mm/s), Peak gradient (mmHg), and Mean gradient (mmHg) from Pulsed-wave
Doppler imaging, calculated using the average peak from > three cardiac
cycles for each mouse. D. Ratio of Aortic Root Systolic:Diastolic ratio
calculated from M-mode echocardiographic measurements of aortic root diameter
during peak diastole and systole. E. Cardiac Ejection Fraction percentage
calculated from parasternal long-axis ventricular volume at peak systole and
diastole. Asterisks indicate statistically significance (*: p < 0.05, **:
p < 0.005, ***: p < 0.0005, ****: p < 0.00005). F. Alizarin
Red S staining for calcium in AoV. Scale bar is 100μm. G. von Kossa
staining for mineral deposition in AoV. Scale bar is 100μm.
Quantification indicates percent of the total valve area that was positive for
indicated stain, measured from valve hinge-point between annulus and cusp, to
the distal tip (n = 5). Asterisks indicate statistically significance (*: p
< 0.05, **: p < 0.005, ***: p < 0.0005, ****: p <
0.00005).