Toll-Like Receptor 9 Inactivation Alleviated Atherosclerotic Progression and Inhibited Macrophage Polarized to M1 Phenotype in ApoE^−/− Mice

Figure 4

TLR9 inactivation inhibited M1 macrophage infiltration. RT-PCR for the mRNA expressions of M1- (a) and M2- (b) associated genotype in ApoE^−/− mice treated with IRS869. The relative gene expression was normalized to GAPDH. Representative fluorescent photomicrographs of iNOS (d and f, green) and CD206 (e and g, red) stained sections in brachiocephalic artery plaques. Results showed mean ± SEM of three separate experiments. compared with ApoE^−/− saline mice. Original magnification ×200. IL: interleukin; Ciita: MHC class II transactivator; iNOS: inducible nitric oxide synthase; Fizz1: found in inflammatory zone 1.

(a)

(b)

(c) ApoE^−/− saline iNOS⁺ cells

(d) ApoE^−/− saline CD206⁺ cells

(e) ApoE^−/− IRS869 iNOS⁺ cells

(f) ApoE^−/− IRS869 CD206⁺ cells

(g)