<i>Pg</i> exacerbates HFD-induced endothelial injury and apoptosis.

<p>(A) Histological findings in aortal tissue in CD mice (a, b) and in HFD mice (c, d). H&E, scale bar, 100 µm. (B) IHC staining of CD-31 (endothelial cell marker) in aortal tissue in CD mice (a, b) and in HFD mice (c, d). Scale bar, 10 µm. (C) Percentage of aortal surface covered by CD31-positive endothelial cells in the HFD-<i>Pg</i> group is significantly lower than that of the HFD-NC group. Mean ± SD *P<0.05, **P<0.01. (D) TUNEL staining of aortal tissue in CD mice (a, b) and in HFD mice (c, d). Scale bar, 10 µm. (E) Number of TUNEL-positive cells per unit length of aortal surface in HFD-<i>Pg</i> group is significantly higher than that of HFD-NC group. Mean ± SD *P<0.05. CD, chow diet; HFD, high fat diet; NC, negative control; <i>Pg, Porphyromonas gingivalis.</i> Experiments were performed three times or more with similar results.