fig1

Figure 1. Mast cell deficiency suppressed elastin deposition in vein graft. (A) Picrosirus red staining demonstrated that both C57BL/6J and Kit^W-sh/W-sh vein grafts synthesised large amount of collagen (in green, yellow and red colour) in the adventitia and perivascular connective tissue by 4 weeks. No statistical difference was detected in collagen content between groups; (B and C) Elastin deposition was restricted to the vein graft neointima (visualised by Verhoeff Van Gieson staining, indicated by arrows). Mast cell deficient Kit^W-sh/W-sh vein grafts contained a significantly lower level of elastin versus congenic C57BL/6J vein grafts, which was rescued by local mast cell reconstitution. Mast cell deficiency in hyperlipidaemic mice (apoE^-/-) also significantly suppressed elastin deposition in the vein graft by 4 weeks. n = 6; **P < 0.01. One-way analysis of variance plus Tukey post hoc test was used for multiple group comparison and unpaired student's t-test for two group comparison