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 photoacoustic imaging and analysis of the vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaque. ( A - G ) Ex vivo distribution of HMCN@Cy5.5 , Scr-HMCN@Cy5.5 , and OPN-HMCN@Cy5.5 in various organs—specifically the aorta ( B ), heart ( C ), liver ( D ), spleen ( E ), lung ( F ), and kidney ( G )—from apoE −/− mice at 0, 6, 12, and 24 h post-intravenous injection (n = 3). ( H ) Confocal images demonstrate the colocalization of OPN with CY5.5-labeled nanoparticles in aortic roots (n = 6, scale bars, 200 μm). ( I ) Quantitative analysis of the relative MFI of OPN and CY5.5 in different treatment groups. ( J , K ) Photoacoustic images and quantitative analysis of signal intensities of atherosclerotic plaque in carotid arteries of both healthy and atherosclerosis mice (n = 3). For each animal, longitudinal PA imaging was performed on the same carotid artery at predefined anatomical landmarks across different time points. Photoacoustic images were acquired with depth calibration based on acoustic time-of-flight measurements, converting ultrasound echo delay into depth using the predefined sound velocity in soft tissue. A calibrated depth scale bar is shown in each image, with an effective imaging depth of approximately 7 mm. ( L , M ) Pathological staining of atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery and aortic arch includes ORO and Masson staining (scale bar = 200 μm), as well as α -SMA, and CD68 fluorescent staining (scale bar = 100 μm each). ( N - Q ) The statistical analysis of ( N ) ORO staining (namely the percentage of LD area), ( O ) Masson staining (namely the percentage of collagen fiber area), ( P ) α -SMA fluorescent staining (namely the percentage of smooth muscle cell area) and ( Q ) CD68 fluorescent staining (namely the percentage of macrophage-derived foam cell area). ( R ) Vulnerability scores of aortic arch and carotid artery plaques. ∗ P < 0.05, ∗∗ P < 0.01, and ∗∗∗∗ P < 0.0001.

Article Snippet: Mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) was obtained from the American Type Culture Collection, USA.

Techniques: In Vivo, Imaging, Ex Vivo, Injection, Labeling, Staining, Derivative Assay

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: Mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) was obtained from the American Type Culture Collection, USA.

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: Mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) was obtained from the American Type Culture Collection, USA.

Techniques: In Vivo, 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: Schematic of the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of OPN-HMCN@MLT. ( A ) The study commenced with the synthesis of mesoporous carbon nanospheres (MCN) functionalized with an OPN-binding peptide and hyaluronic acid to construct the OPN-HMCN nanoplatform. The OPN-binding peptide was designed to recognize OPN enriched in the extracellular matrix and on the surface of foam cells, thereby enabling selective accumulation in OPN-rich pathological regions. Following OPN recognition, OPN-HMCN@MLT undergoes CD44-dependent endocytosis. Melatonin (MLT), a lipid autophagy–promoting agent, was subsequently encapsulated within the nanocarrier to form OPN-HMCN@MLT. Firstly, the released MLT can bind to and upregulate the expression of PPARα and PPARγ, which then promote the expression of downstream genes (ABCA1, ABCG1, ACOX-1, and CTP1A) and trigger the lipophagy. ( B ) Subsequently, its lipophagy-enhancing effects, including ABCA1/G1-mediated cholesterol efflux and CTP1A/ACOX-1-mediated mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, were studied to confirm the reversal of foam cell formation. ( C ) These effects eventually promote foam cells to reverse into macrophages. Abbreviations: MCN, mesoporous carbon nanoparticle; OPN, osteopontin; MLT, melatonin; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; ox-LDL, oxidized low-density lipoprotein; PA, Photoacoustic.

Article Snippet: Mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) was obtained from the American Type Culture Collection, USA.

Techniques: Binding Assay, Construct, Expressing

Journal: STAR Protocols

Article Title: Protocol for pro-inflammatory microRNA motif discovery using machine learning

doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2026.104467

Figure Lengend Snippet: Microscopic images of RAW 264.7 cells in 96-well plate before starvation and transfection (related to step 10) (A) 70% confluency. (B) <50% confluency. Scale bars represent 100 μm.

Article Snippet: RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cell line , ATCC , Cat#TIB-71; RRID: CVCL_0493.

Techniques: Transfection

Journal: Cyborg and Bionic Systems

Article Title: Bioinspired Nanocomposite for Targeted Immunoengineering and Improved Tendon Regeneration

doi: 10.34133/cbsystems.0503

Figure Lengend Snippet: KGN@PB@CM modulates macrophage polarization and restores immune homeostasis in vitro. (A) Representative immunofluorescence images showing iNOS (M1 marker, red) expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages under different treatment conditions. DAPI (blue) was used for nuclear staining. (B) Quantitative analysis of iNOS fluorescence intensity. (C) Representative dual-staining images for CD206 (M2 marker, green) and F4/80 (pan-macrophage marker, red). (D) Quantification of CD86 (M1 marker) fluorescence intensity. (E) Representative immunofluorescence images showing CD206 + F4/80 + macrophages in different groups. (F) Quantitative analysis of CD206 fluorescence intensity. (G to L) RT-qPCR analysis of M1-related genes ( iNOS , CD86 , TNF-α , and IL-6 ) and M2-related genes ( Arg-1 , CD206 , and IL-10 ) in different treatment groups. (M to Q) ELISA results showing the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β1 in macrophage supernatants. Data are presented as means ± SD, n = 5; * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001, and **** P < 0.0001.

Article Snippet: The macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 (American Type Culture Collection [ATCC], TIB-71) was maintained in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (Gibco) containing 10% FBS and 1% penicillin–streptomycin under 37 °C and 5% CO 2 culturing conditions.

Techniques: In Vitro, Immunofluorescence, Marker, Expressing, Staining, Fluorescence, Quantitative RT-PCR, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay