Files in this Data Supplement:

• Supplemental Figure - (PDF) (103 kb). Method for evaluation of elastin degradation. Schedule explaining the method used for evaluation of elastin degradation and aortic dilatation in the atherosclerotic media. The descending aorta was serially sectioned from the level of the aortic origin until the femoral bifurcation (arrowheads). Per mouse, 8 to 12 plaques were screened over their entire length on cross sections, each 70 μm apart. For each cross section of a plaque, cross-sectional rupture length (CRL; expressed in μm) was measured and the mean of all cross sections was calculated. To correct for plaque size, the mean CRL was normalized for the mean cross-sectional plaque base length (mean CPBL; expressed in mm) (a). To determine the number of elastin ruptures in the entire plaque, the number of ruptures in all cross sections of the plaque was added up. To correct for plaque size, the number of ruptures was normalized for plaque base area (expressed in mm² and calculated by approximation of a definite integral, using the Riemann sums; ‘i=1’ represents the first cross section of the plaque; ‘n’ represents the last cross section of the plaque; f(a_i) = CPBL; Δx represents the distance between two serial cross sections) (b). To determine aortic dilatation (c) in the abdominal aorta at the level of the renal bifurcation, the aortic cross-sectional area lined by the elastica interna was determined at a fixed distance above the start of the upper (right) renal bifurcation (proximal reference area A₁) and below the end of the lower (left) renal bifurcation (distal reference area A₂). The average of both measurements was determined and used as reference area (RA). Then the area of maximal dilatation (MDA) on the cross sections between the proximal and the distal reference cross sections was determined. The % dilatation was calculated from the quotient of the MDA and the RA. Rupture depth (d) was evaluated by determining the percentage of ruptures in each elastic lamina (EL), as illustrated by the numerical example. IEL indicates internal elastic lamina; EEL, external elastic lamina.
• Supplemental Methods - (Microsoft Word) (19.5 kb)