Characterization of body weight and atheroma development.

<p><b>A</b>, Overall average body weights, during either a high cholesterol diet (HCD) or regular diet are shown using approximated curves in male (M, [<b>a</b>]) and female (F, [<b>b</b>]) mice. Mice were weighed twice per week. Each HCD group had more than 10 mice and regular diet group had more than 4 mice. Black line, <i>Ldlr</i>^−/− (<i>llEE</i>); red line, <i>Ldlr^−/−/Cebpe^−/−</i> (<i>llee</i>) mice; solid line, HCD fed mice; dashed line, regular diet fed mice; BW, body weight; g, gram. <b>B</b>, Average amount of food intake (grams per day per mouse) in male <i>llEE</i> and <i>llee</i> mice on a HCD. <b>C</b>, <i>C/EBPε</i> deficiency reduces the extent of aortic atherosclerosis. Aortas of both male and female mice of either <i>Ldlr</i>^−/− (<i>llEE</i>) or <i>Ldlr^−/−/Cebpe^−/−</i> (<i>llee</i>) genotype were fed a HCD for 12 weeks. (<b>a</b>) Aortas were stained for lipid deposition with Oil red O. Representative aortas from the groups are shown. Quantification of plaque areas in the aortas of either arch (<b>b</b>) or abdominal (<b>c</b>) lesion in either <i>llEE</i> or <i>llee</i> mice stained for lipid deposition with Oil red O. The area of the plaque lesions were quantified with Image-Pro Plus software. Means and SD of plaque areas are shown. <b>D</b>, Lipid content in aortic sinus plaques is reduced in <i>llee</i> male mice. (<b>a</b>) Representative Oil red O staining of aortic sinus from <i>llEE</i> and <i>llee</i> mice. (<b>b</b>) Quantitative analysis of (<b>Da</b>) lipid content in the aortic sinus. <b>E</b>, Macrophage infiltration in aortic sinus plaques is reduced in <i>llee</i> male mice. (<b>a</b>) Representative CD68 staining of aortic sinus from <i>llEE</i> and <i>llee</i> mice. (<b>b</b>) Quantitative analysis of (<b>Ea</b>) CD68 positive lesion in aortic sinus. Means and SD of plaque areas are shown. M, male; F, female. Data represent mean ± SD. * P<0.05, ** P<0.01, *** P<0.0001.