Pathology and Biochemistry Core

PROJECT SUMMARY: CORE B Accumulation of inflammatory macrophages as well as innate and adaptative immune cells is a common feature of cardiometabolic diseases, including atherosclerosis, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases. Inflammation in metabolic tissues accelerates atherosclerosis and metabolic dysfunction. The ability to examine changes in gene expression in immune cells, particularly macrophage populations, in the plaque, adipose tissue depots, and liver during cardiometabolic disease provides insights into that key pathways that promote or inhibit the inflammatory response and their corresponding effects on pathologic processes in these tissues. As such, a Core will be established to: 1) isolate and quantify macrophage and other immune cell subsets from atherosclerotic plaque, adipose tissue and liver by FACS; 2) monitor changes in metabolic parameters within the systemic circulation, atherosclerotic plaque, adipose tissue and liver; and 3) perform sectioning and histologic quantification of atherosclerotic plaques, fat depots and liver morphology. These procedures are key to the successful execution of the Aims of all three projects in this Program Project, and centralizing the immunohistochemical and biochemical assays will ensure consistency and reproducibility, which in turn will maximize the efficiency and productivity of the scientists within each project.