Vitamin K-Antagonists Accelerate Atherosclerotic Calcification and Induce a Vulnerable Plaque Phenotype
Figure 3
Warfarin treatment rapidly increases medial and intimal plaque calcification in apoE−/− mice.
ApoE−/− mice received WTD for three month (baseline) and subsequently control diet (WTD plus VK1) or warfarin (WTD plus VK1&W). Von Kossa stained calcified plaques were scored for medial (A,C) and intimal plaque calcification (B,D). In addition calcification was categorized as microcalcification (E, arrow heads) and macrocalcification (F, arrows). Microcalcifications occur either alone or in conjunction with macrocalcification. Statistically significant differences were determined by the Kruskal Wallis test. *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001. i, intima; m, media; l, lumen; a, adventitia.