Immunolocalization of ACE2 and AT2 receptors in rabbit atherosclerotic plaques

Abstract

Evidence suggests that angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) play a protective role in atherogenesis. These factors have not been identified in rabbit atherosclerotic plaques. Our goal was to localize ACE2 and AT2R in rabbit atherosclerotic tissues, and determine which cell types express these factors. New Zealand White rabbits were fed either a control diet or a 0.5% cholesterol diet (n=8/group) for 12 weeks. Paraffin-fixed thoracic aorta were serially sectioned and processed for immunohistochemistry using commercially available antibodies to ACE2, AT 2R, RAM 11 (to identify macrophages), and α smooth muscle cell actin (αSMC) to identify smooth muscle..