Fig. 5

Silencing of HOXA1 inhibits apoptosis and reduces macrophage-like cells in plaques of AS mice. A TUNEL staining for plaque apoptosis and quantification for the positive staining regions. Sections were stained for TUNEL (red). DAPI (blue) was used for nucleus staining. Scale bar = 50 μm (400 ×). B Immunofluorescence staining for α-SMA and Mac3 in plaques and quantification for the α-SMA⁺/Mac3⁺ and α-SMA⁺/Mac3⁻ regions. Sections were co-stained for macrophage phenotype marker Mac3 (red) and smooth muscle cell marker α-SMA (green). DAPI (blue) was used for nucleus staining. Scale bar = 50 μm (400 ×). Data are expressed as mean ± SD (6 animals/group). Ordinary one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test was used to calculate the P value in panel A. Brown-Forsythe and Welch ANOVA followed by Games-Howell's multiple comparisons test was used to calculate the P value in panel B. ^**P < 0.01, ^***P < 0.001