Protocol to visualize CD11c+ cells in atherosclerosis using LacZ reporter mice

Manuela Sauter; Reinhard J Sauter; Marcus Olbrich; Martin Thunemann; Susanne Feil; Robert Feil; Harald F Langer

doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101645

Protocol to visualize CD11c⁺ cells in atherosclerosis using LacZ reporter mice

STAR Protoc. 2022 Aug 19;3(3):101645. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101645. eCollection 2022 Sep 16.

Authors

Manuela Sauter¹, Reinhard J Sauter², Marcus Olbrich³, Martin Thunemann⁴, Susanne Feil⁵, Robert Feil⁵, Harald F Langer⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Cardiology, University Hospital, Medical Clinic II, University Heart Center Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Luebeck, Germany. Electronic address: manuela.sauter@uksh.de.
² Department of Cardiology, University Hospital, Medical Clinic II, University Heart Center Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Luebeck, Germany.
³ University Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
⁵ Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
⁶ Department of Cardiology, University Hospital, Medical Clinic II, University Heart Center Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Luebeck, Germany; Department of Cardiology, Angiology, Haemostaseology and Medical Intensive Care, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany. Electronic address: harald.langer@uksh.de.

Abstract

Here, we describe an in vivo approach to visualize CD11c⁺ cells in atherosclerosis. In particular, we use a protocol for X-Gal staining of immune cells within atherosclerotic plaques, which can be used as an alternative to analyze plaque composition and cell-specific molecules in atherogenesis. LacZ knockin mice have to be bred to mice carrying the CD11c^cre recombinase-both brought onto an ApoE^-/- background-to be able to visualize this cell type of interest in the plaques by X-Gal staining. With this approach, different immune cells in atherogenesis can be examined. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sauter et al. (2021).

Keywords: Genetics; Health sciences; Immunology; Model organisms; Molecular biology.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Atherosclerosis* / genetics
CD11c Antigen / genetics
Lac Operon / genetics
Mice
Mice, Knockout
Plaque, Atherosclerotic* / genetics

Substances

CD11c Antigen