Reconstitution with γ^−/−ApoE^−/− marrow attenuates diet-induced lesion progression in mice.

<p>Irradiated ApoE^−/− mice were reconstituted with bone marrow from ApoE^−/− and γ^−/−ApoE^−/− mice and after 4 weeks were fed on atherogenic diet for 10 weeks. (<b>A</b>) PCR analysis of ApoE and γ-chain genes in genomic DNA isolated from donor (ApoE^−/− and γ^−/−ApoE^−/−), transplanted (A→A and γA→A), and control (WT) mice. (<b>B</b>) Kaplan-Meier curves showing survival rate of transplanted mice (log-rank test, <i>P</i> = 0.562). (<b>C</b>) Representative photomicrographs (magnification x40) of aortic root sections stained with oil-red-O/hematoxylin. (<b>D</b>) Quantification of maximum lesion area in the aortic root of A→A (filled circles, n = 17) and γA→A (open circles, n = 22) mice. (<b>E</b>) Average of lesion area throughout the studied region in each group. Measurements are expressed as mean±SEM. *<i>P</i><0.01 versus A→A group.