Pharmacologic inhibition of CX₃CR1 results in formation of leaky microvessels within experimental plaque.

<p>A, Drug (F1) study protocol: Carotid artery was ligated in the C57BL6J mice (wt mice) and animals were treated with a selective CX₃CR1 inhibitor (F1) (from second week post carotid ligation for another two weeks). B, Representative cross sectional images of carotid artery from C57BL6J mice treated with saline or a selective CX₃CR1 inhibitor (F1) and stained for laminin (B; Basement membrane; Red), or CD42b (D; Platelets; Red), CX₃CR1 (GFP; Green) and DAPI (Nucleus; Blue). B & C, Significantly greater number of CX₃CR1 positive microvessels were covered by basement membrane laminin in saline treated C57BL6J mice compared to F1 treated mice. D & E, Increased platelet CD42b staining was observed in the neointimal interstitial space in the F1 treated mice compared to saline treated mice (Scale bar: 50 µm). In addition the leaky microvessel phenotype in mice treated with F1 was confirmed by presence of intravenously administered (tail vein) 2–2.5 µm diameter microspheres (red spheres) in the neointimal lesion (F & G). IgG control staining for isotype-matched antibodies shown. Data is represented as mean ± SEM of 15 plaque sections/mice (n = 4 independently performed experiments); * denotes p<0.01.