Vasculin and SSH6-β in the vascular wall. (A) Representative Western blot analysis of lysates of complete segments of veins, nondiseased arteries, and arteries displaying different stages of atherosclerosis (n = 2). Lanes 1 to 4, veins; lanes 5 to 8, nondiseased arteries; lanes 10 to 14, early atherosclerotic plaques; lanes 15 to 18, advanced atherosclerotic plaques; lanes 20 to 23, atherosclerotic plaques with a thrombus; lane 24 GST-vasculin; and lane 9 and 19, marker. For lysates and GST-vasculin, samples equivalent to 25 μg and 1 μg protein, respectively, were applied. (B-C) Quantitative data of vasculin and SSH6-β content, respectively, as judged by densitometric scanning of 2 independent Western blot analyses (mean ± SD, n = 4-5). ND indicates nondiseased. (D) Relative amount of vasculin versus the total amount of vasculin + SSH6-β, as determined in panels B-C, in veins and arteries displaying various stages of atherosclerosis (mean ± SD, n = 4-5). ND indicates nondiseased.