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. 2021 May 3;131(9):e142865. doi: 10.1172/JCI142865

Figure 2. Replenishment of C16:0 ceramide partially reverses improvements in atherosclerosis resulting from loss of intestinal FXR.

Figure 2

Fxrfl/flApoE–/– and FxrΔIE ApoE–/– mice were treated with vehicle or C16:0 ceramide (10 mg/kg/d) by i.p. injection during HCD feeding for 5 weeks (n = 8/group). (A and B) Levels of ceramides in the ileum (A) and serum (B). (C and D) Representative images of aortas stained with Oil Red O (C) and quantification of the lesions (D). (E and F) Representative sections of left ventricular outflow tracts stained with Oil Red O (E) and the quantified lesion areas (F). (G and H) Immunofluorescence staining of atherosclerotic lesions for Mac-2 (G) and quantification of the positive areas (H). (I–K) Serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β (I), TNF-α (J), and MCP-1 (K). The data are presented as the mean ± SEM. Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s post hoc test (A and B) and 1-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test (D, F, and H–K): *P < 0.05 and **P < 0.01 versus Fxrfl/fl ApoE–/– + vehicle and #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01 versus FxrΔIE ApoE–/– + vehicle. Scale bars: 200 μm.