Fig. 5

Lack of CRP2 reduces collagen III levels in vivo and in vitro. Mice were infused with saline or Ang II for 2 weeks and abdominal aortas harvested for immunohistochemistry. A Col III immunostaining of aneurysmal segment from Ang II-infused Apoe^−/− and Csrp2^−/−Apoe^−/−mice. Lower panels, higher magnification of the boxed areas in the upper panels, respectively. AA, aortic aneurysm; Lu, lumen; Med, media. B Quantitative analysis of Col III-positive area of aneurysmal Sect. 2 weeks after saline or Ang II infusion. Saline, n = 6 each group; Ang II, n = 8 each group. ^§P < 0.05 compared with the respective saline group; *P < 0.05 compared with the corresponding Apoe^−/− group. C Apoe^−/− and Csrp2^−/−Apoe^−/− VSMCs were stimulated with different concentrations of Ang II for 24 h and total proteins were prepared for Western blot analysis to detect Col III and CRP2 expression. The blots were subsequently hybridized with α-tubulin as a loading control. D Quantitation of Col III expression (n = 4 each group). Col III level of Apoe^−/− VSMCs without Ang II treatment was set as 100%. ^§P < 0.05 compared with the baseline without Ang II; *P < 0.05 compared with the corresponding Apoe^−/− group