<i>Apoe</i>^{<i>−/−</i>}<i>BDCA2-DTR</i> mice have no change in leukocyte numbers, but efficiently reduced pDC numbers after partial carotid artery ligation in combination with 5 weeks of HFD and one week of DT administration.

<p>(A) Absolute numbers of CD45⁺ leukocytes after 5 weeks HFD and one week DT administration in <i>Apoe</i>^{<i>−/−</i>} (control) and <i>Apoe</i>^{<i>−/−</i>}<i>BDCA2-DTR</i> mice (pDC depleted) in blood (cells/ml) and bone marrow (cells/femur). (B-D) Flow cytometry analysis of (B) dendritic cells (pDCs and cDCs), (C) lymphocytes (T and B cells) and (D) myeloid cells (neutrophils and monocytes) in blood, bone marrow and lymph node in <i>Apoe</i>^{<i>−/−</i>} and <i>Apoe</i>^{<i>−/−</i>}<i>BDCA2-DTR</i> mice after 5 weeks of HFD and one week DT administration. Gr1⁺CD115^- neutrophils, CD11b⁺CD115⁺ monocytes, CD3⁺ T cells, B220⁺ B cells, CD11c⁺MHCII⁺ cDCs and B220⁺mPDCA-1⁺440c⁺ pDC populations are shown as percentage of CD45⁺ leukocytes. (E) Plasma cytokine levels of Il-6, Cxcl1 and Tnf-α (pg/ml). Graphs represent mean±SD; n = 4 to n = 6. Mann-Whitney test *<i>P</i><0.05 **<i>P</i><0.01.