Figure 2. SMC-specific deficiency of CCN2 exacerbates Ang II–induced AAA in hypercholesterolemia mice.

(A) Representative gross images of aortas from CCN2^fl/fl (WT, n = 13) and CCN2^SMCΔ (KO, n = 11) mice infused with Ang II. (B) Representative abdominal ultrasound images (long- and short-axis views) of mice in both groups. (C) AAA incidence in mice from both groups. *P < 0.05, χ² test. (D) Maximal external aortic diameters at study endpoint in mice from both groups. Data were quantified and represented as mean ± SEM. ***P < 0.001, 2-tailed Student’s t test. (E) Systolic blood pressure (SBP) measured at various time points before and after Ang II infusion for mice in both groups (n = 8). (F) Representative images of H&E-stained (5× and 20×) and Elastin-stained (20×) abdominal aortic sections from both groups (n = 5). Red arrows indicate elastin break points. (G) Immunofluorescence double staining of abdominal aortic sections from both groups with specific antibodies against αSMA (red) and SMMHC (green). Nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue). n = 4. Scale bars: 100 μm.