GDF-15 Suppresses Atherosclerosis by Inhibiting oxLDL-Induced Lipid Accumulation and Inflammation in Macrophages

Figure 2

Macrophages are the major GDF-15 secreting cells in atherosclerotic plaque. (a) H&E staining. After fed by high-fat diet, the endothelium of the artery in ApoE^−/− mice was damaged obviously, accompanied with the formation of atherosclerotic plaque, while there was no obvious change in wild-type mice artery. (b) GDF-15 was highly expressed in blood vessels of ApoE^−/− mice compared with that in wild-type mice detected by immunohistochemical analyses. (c) Immunofluorescence staining showed most of GDF-15 were produced by CD68 positive macrophages, which suggested that macrophages may be the major cells, which producing GDF-15.

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