Research Article

Atorvastatin Improves Inflammatory Response in Atherosclerosis by Upregulating the Expression of GARP

Figure 4

Atorvastatin significantly improved the progression and enhanced the stability of atherosclerotic plaques in ApoE mice, while GARP-siRNA partly inhibited these effects of atorvastatin: (a) oil red O staining and quantitative analysis of atherosclerotic lesion size in ApoE mouse aortic sinus of scrambled group (scrambled), oral atorvastatin + scrambled group (O.A. + scrambled), and oral atorvastatin + GARP-siRNA group (O.A. + GARP-siRNA). Data were from 6 mice per group () and were independently confirmed, all , , and . (b) Oil red O staining and quantitative analysis of atherosclerotic lesion size in ApoE mouse thoracic aortas of these three groups. Data were from 6 mice per group () and were independently confirmed, all , , and . (c) Masson trichrome staining and quantitative analysis of fibrosis in atherosclerotic lesion of aortic sinus in these three groups. Data were from 6 mice per group () and were independently confirmed, all , , and . (d) CD68 staining and quantitative analysis of infiltration of macrophages in atherosclerotic lesion of aortic sinus in these three groups. Data were from 6 mice per group () and were independently confirmed, all , , and . (e) CD3 staining and quantitative analysis of infiltration of T lymphocytes in atherosclerotic lesion of aortic sinus in these three groups. Data were from 6 mice per group () and were independently confirmed, all , , and .
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