Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: A foam cell-targeted lipophagy restoration strategy stabilizes vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.02.041

Figure Lengend Snippet: In vivo atherosclerosis reversal. ( A ) Schematic illustration of the experimental timeline and treatment strategy for establishing a mature, vulnerable atherosclerosis model and evaluating therapeutic interventions. Mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks and then divided into five groups (HFD+ 12W, Saline HFD+, OPN-HMCN@MLT HFD+, Saline HFD−, and OPN-HMCN@MLT HFD−). Except for the HFD+ 12W group, the remaining groups were further maintained for an additional 4 weeks under either HFD or non-HFD conditions with the indicated treatments. ( B , C ) Images of en face ORO-stained aortas ( B ) and quantitative analysis of ORO-positive regions ( C ) from mice subjected to different treatments and diets (n = 6, scale bar: 5 mm). ( D ) Aortic root sections stained by ORO, H&E, α-SMA antibody, Masson's trichrome, CD68 antibody, and MMP-9 antibody, respectively, following various therapeutic procedures (n = 6, scale bar: 500 μm). ( E - J ) Quantitative data of lipid accumulation ( E ), necrotic core area ( F ), collagen area ( G ), MMP-9 level ( H ), VSMC area ( I ), and macrophage-foam cell area ( J ) in aortic root sections. ( K ) Vulnerability scores of aortic root plaque. ∗ P < 0.05, ∗∗ P < 0.01, ∗∗∗ P < 0.001, ∗∗∗∗ P < 0.0001.

Article Snippet: Oil Red O, Hematoxylin-Eosin, and Masson's Trichrome Stain Kit were purchased from Servicebio in Wuhan, China.

Techniques: In Vivo, Saline, Staining

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: A foam cell-targeted lipophagy restoration strategy stabilizes vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.02.041

Figure Lengend Snippet: In vivo anti-atherosclerosis effects. ( A ) Diagram illustrating the treatment protocol for apoE −/− mice. ( B , C ) En face ORO staining images and quantitative analysis of the lesion area of aortic lesion areas in apoE −/− mice following various treatments (n = 6, scale bar: 5 mm). ( D ) Quantification of the reduction ratio (versus model) of ORO-positive area to the entire aorta. ( E ) Cross-sectional images of ORO-stained aortic root (scale bars, 500 μm) and brachiocephalic artery (scale bars, 200 μm). n = 6. ( F and G ) Quantitative analysis of the aortic root lesion area ( F ) and the reduction ratio (versus model) of ORO-positive area to the aortic root ( G ). ( H ) Aortic root sections stained by H&E, α-SMA antibody, Masson's trichrome, CD68 antibody, MMP-9 antibody, and OPN antibody, respectively, following various therapeutic procedures (n = 6, scale bar: 500 μm). ( I-M ) Quantitative data of necrotic core area ( I ), collagen area ( J ), VSMC area ( K ), macrophage-foam cell area ( L ), and MMP-9 level ( M ) in aortic root sections. ( N ) Representative TEM images of LDs in the aortic root and arch of apoE −/− mice following various treatments (scale bar: 1 μm). The green arrow indicates elastic fibers. ( O-R ) Quantification of lipid droplet number and average area per cell section, n = 6. ∗ P < 0.05, ∗∗ P < 0.01, ∗∗∗ P < 0.001, and ∗∗∗∗ P < 0.0001.

Article Snippet: Oil Red O, Hematoxylin-Eosin, and Masson's Trichrome Stain Kit were purchased from Servicebio in Wuhan, China.

Techniques: In Vivo, Staining

Journal: Molecular Therapy Advances

Article Title: Gene therapy induces pigmentation in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium of OCA1A patients and albino rat eye

doi: 10.1016/j.omta.2026.201705

Figure Lengend Snippet: Suprachoroidal injection of AAV-hVMD:TYR in rat eye induces melanin pigment in retinal pigment epithelium and choroid (A) Fundus photograph of uninjected albino rat eye, with corresponding hematoxylin and eosin-stained histology section showing no pigment in RPE (arrowhead). (B) Fundus photograph of AAV-hVMD:TYR-injected albino rat eye, with corresponding hematoxylin and eosin-stained histology section showing pigment in RPE only (arrowhead). (C) Fundus photograph of AAV-hVMD:TYR-injected albino rat eye, with corresponding hematoxylin and eosin-stained histology section showing pigment in choroid (arrowhead). (D) Fontana-Masson-stained histology sections of uninjected pigmented rat (Long-Evans) eye, AAV-hVMD:GFP-injected albino rat eye and two AAV-hVMD:TYR-injected albino rat eye showing pigmentation in the RPE only (left) and RPE and choroid (right). Scale bars, 50 μm.

Article Snippet: Histology was outsourced to Histoserv Inc. (Germantown, MD), where eyes were embedded in paraffin, sectioned, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin or Fontana-Masson stain.

Techniques: Injection, Staining