Figure 2.

Omentin-1 infusion reduces inflammatory cytokines expression and cell death in atherosclerotic plaque of ApoE^−/− mouse. (A) Representative micrographs of the aortic root sections of ApoE^−/− mice stained by the antibodies against IL-1β or TNF-α. (B,C) Graph shows the intensity of inflammatory cytokines expression (n_1,2,3,4 = 8). The results of immunohistochemistry analysis were expressed in the integral optical density (IOD) of positive staining area vs. plaque area [(IOD, sum)/(Plaque area, μm²)]. (D) Aortic root samples were collected from animal models and the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β were quantified by western blot analysis. (E) Representative images of the aortic root sections of the mouse were stained by DAPI (Abcam, ab104109, displayed in blue) and the apoptotic cell was detected by TUNEL staining (green). The plaque area was marked by a dot line. (F) The graph shows the cells undergoing apoptosis in the AS lesion. The intensity of apoptosis was quantified by counting the apoptotic cells (TUNEL+ cells) in each sample (n_1,2,3,4 = 8). (G) The macrophage infiltration in each sample was quantified by calculating the proportion of CD68 positive area (CD68+ area/ total plaque area, n_1,2,3,4 = 8). All the data in this figure were presented as mean ± SEM [n.s., non-significant; n₁, the number of subjects in before surgery group; n₂, the number of subjects in NS infusion group; n₃, the number of subjects in group infused with omentin-1 (1 μg/kg/h); n₄, the number of subjects in group infused with omentin-1 (5 μg/kg/h)].