Fig. 3

Effects of Fimasartan on CD8⁺ T cells, SMCs, and cytokines/chemokine expression after CA injury. a Immunohistochemical images showing the expression of CD8⁺ T cells (brown) in CA at 28 days after CA injury and/or fimasartan administration. Scale bar: 100 μm. b Representative pictures showing that CD8⁺ T cell subsets were gated using Flow cytometry. Results of statistical analysis of CD8⁺ T cells in peripheral blood at 28 days after CA injury and/or fimasartan administration. c Representative immunohistochemical images of α-SMA⁺ expression in CA, showing reduced SMCs (brown) after fimasartan administration. Boxed regions were magnified in the under panels. Yellow arrows indicate α-SMA⁺ cells in CA. Scale bar: 100 μm. d Quantification of SMCs in CA at 28 days after CA injury and/or fimasartan administration. Data shown represent the mean ± SD on 48 sections (two fields per section, two sections per CA, n = 12 for each group). e Fluorescent images of CD8⁺ T cell lytic activity assay against SMCs. CFDA SE-labeled mSMCs were co-cultured for 4 h at a CD8⁺ T cell to mSMC ratio of 0:1, 1:1 or 3:1. f CD8⁺ T cell lytic activity assay against SMCs examined by flow cytometry. Quantification of PI-positive and CFDA SE-labeled mSMCs. g The plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines (TNFα, IL-6, ICAM, and MMP-9). All experimental data are from n = 12 of ApoE KO mice in each group. Values are presented as the mean ± SD. *p < 0.05. NS, not significant