Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Apolipoprotein E knockout attenuates vascular graft fibrosis by reducing profibrotic macrophage formation through low-density lipoprotein receptor related protein 1

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.01.029

Figure Lengend Snippet: Profibrotic macrophages increasing fibroblast proliferation via their secreted IGF-1. (a) Dot plots of Igf1 expression in C2 and the other subgroups of macrophages in regenerated aortas 30 and 90 days after graft implantation in WT and Apoe −/− rats. (b) Igf1 expression score in macrophages in regenerated aortas 30 and 90 days after graft implantation in WT and Apoe −/− rats. ∗∗∗∗ indicates p < 0.0001, unpaired t -test. (c) Quantification of IGF-1 concentration in regenerated aortas 30 and 90 days after graft implantation in WT and Apoe −/− rats. ∗∗ indicates p < 0.01, Tukey's post-hoc test. For each time point and each group, five different samples from five different animals were analyzed (n = 5). UMAP of fibroblasts in regenerated aortas 30 days (d) and 90 days (e) after graft implantation in WT and Apoe −/− rats, heatmap of cell cycle (Ccnd1, Ccnd2, and Ccnd3) scores in UMAP of fibroblasts, and box plots of cell cycle scores in fibroblasts. ∗∗∗∗ indicates p < 0.0001, unpaired t -test. (f) Immunofluorescence staining of Ki67 in regenerated aortas 30 and 90 days after graft implantation in WT and Apoe −/− rats. L indicates lumens. (g) Quantification of Ki67 positive cells in regenerated aortas. ∗∗ indicates p < 0.01, Tukey's post-hoc test. For each time point and each group, five different images from five different animals were analyzed (n = 5). (h) Quantification of IGF-1 in culture mediums of WT and APOE KO macrophages after their culture on PCL scaffolds for 48 h by ELISA. ∗∗ indicates p < 0.01, unpaired t -test. For each group, three different samples were analyzed (n = 3). (i) Immunofluorescence staining of Ki67 in WT and APOE KO fibroblasts after treatment with IGF-1 (10 ng/mL) for 24 h. Cells were counterstained with phalloidin. (j) Quantification of proliferation of WT and APOE KO fibroblasts treated with IGF-1 (10 ng/mL) for 24 h using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). ∗∗ indicates p < 0.01, Tukey's post-hoc test. For each group, three different samples were analyzed (n = 3). (k) Quantification of proliferation of WT fibroblasts treated with conditioned medium (CM) with or without IGF-1 blocking antibody (Ab, 1 μg/mL) for 24 h using CCK-8. CM were medium conditioned by WT macrophages cultured on PCL scaffolds for 48 h ∗∗ indicates p < 0.01, Tukey's post-hoc test. For each group, three different samples were analyzed (n = 3).

Article Snippet: Exogenous APOE (0.25 μg/mL, MCE, HY-P701096), TGF-β1 (10 ng/mL, MCE, HY-P7117), IGF-1 (10 ng/mL, MCE), conditioned medium by macrophages, or IGF-1 blocking antibody (1 μg/mL, Invitrogen, MA5-18035) was added into culture medium and incubated with WT or APOE KO fibroblasts for 24 h.

Techniques: Expressing, Concentration Assay, Immunofluorescence, Staining, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Cell Counting, CCK-8 Assay, Blocking Assay, Cell Culture

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Apolipoprotein E knockout attenuates vascular graft fibrosis by reducing profibrotic macrophage formation through low-density lipoprotein receptor related protein 1

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.01.029

Figure Lengend Snippet: Downregulation of APOE by AAV ameliorating fibrosis during vascular regeneration after graft implantation in vivo . (a) Illustration of a strategy of adventitial delivery of AAV-shRNA(Apoe) to inhibit APOE levels in regenerated aortas after graft implantation in vivo . Two weeks after graft implantation in vivo , AAV-shRNA(Apoe) were injected into the adventitia of the regenerated aortas, which were then harvested for analysis three weeks later. (b) M mode images of ultrasound detection of regenerated aortas treated with PBS, AAV-shRNA(NC), and AAV-shRNA(Apoe) for 3 weeks. Arrow heads indicate movement of vascular walls. (c) Tensile tests of regenerated aortas treated with PBS, AAV-shRNA(NC), and AAV-shRNA(Apoe) for 3 weeks. (d) Quantification of RI, PI, and compliance of regenerated aortas treated with PBS, AAV-shRNA(NC), and AAV-shRNA(Apoe) for 3 weeks. ∗∗ indicates p < 0.01, Tukey's post-hoc test. For each group, six different images from six different animals were analyzed (n = 6). (e) Quantification of elastic modulus of regenerated aortas treated with PBS, AAV-shRNA(NC), and AAV-shRNA(Apoe) for 3 weeks. ∗∗ indicates p < 0.01, Tukey's post-hoc test. For each group, six different images from six different animals were analyzed (n = 6). (f) H&E, MTC and EVG staining of regenerated aortas treated with PBS, AAV-shRNA(NC), and AAV-shRNA(Apoe) for 3 weeks. (g) Immunofluorescence staining of COL I, COL III, elastin, αSMA, and eNOS in regenerated aortas treated with PBS, AAV-shRNA(NC), and AAV-shRNA(Apoe) for 3 weeks. L indicates lumens. Arrow heads indicate capillaries. Quantification of adventitia thickness (h), collagen positive areas according to MTC staining (i), elastin positive areas according to EVG staining (j), COL I positive areas (k), COL III positive areas (l), and number of capillaries (m) in adventitial areas of regenerated aortas. (n) Immunofluorescence staining of CTSD and CD68 in regenerated aortas treated with PBS, AAV-shRNA(NC), and AAV-shRNA(Apoe) for 3 weeks. (o) CD68 and CTSD double positive cells in regenerated aortas. ∗∗ indicates p < 0.01, Tukey's post-hoc test. For each group, six different samples from six different animals were analyzed (n = 6). (p) WB results of APOE, CTSD and SPP1 levels in regenerated aortas treated with PBS, AAV-shRNA(NC), and AAV-shRNA(Apoe) for 3 weeks and quantification of levels of APOE, CTSD and SPP1 in regenerated aortas. ∗∗ indicates p < 0.01, Tukey's post-hoc test. For each group, six different samples from six different animals were analyzed (n = 6). (q) Quantification of IGF-1 concentrations in regenerated aortas treated with PBS, AAV-shRNA(NC), and AAV-shRNA(Apoe) for 3 weeks by ELISA. ∗∗ indicates p < 0.01, Tukey's post-hoc test. For each group, six different samples from six different animals were analyzed (n = 3).

Article Snippet: Exogenous APOE (0.25 μg/mL, MCE, HY-P701096), TGF-β1 (10 ng/mL, MCE, HY-P7117), IGF-1 (10 ng/mL, MCE), conditioned medium by macrophages, or IGF-1 blocking antibody (1 μg/mL, Invitrogen, MA5-18035) was added into culture medium and incubated with WT or APOE KO fibroblasts for 24 h.

Techniques: In Vivo, shRNA, Injection, Staining, Immunofluorescence, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay