Fig 1: HMGB-1 expression in different layers of rabbit AA. Incubation with Hcy (B) resulted in significantly elevated levels of HMGB-1 expression within the endothelium (G) (mean ± SEM, p < 0.0001), media (H) (mean ± SEM, p < 0.0001) and adventitia (I) (mean ± SEM, p < 0.0001) when compared to rings from CD rabbits (A). Pre-treatment with Glyz (D) was prevented increased expression of HMGB-1 triggered by Hcy incubation within the endothelium (G) (mean ± SEM, p < 0.0001), media (H) (mean ± SEM, p < 0.0001) and adventitia (I) (mean ± SEM, p < 0.0001), when compared to Hcy rings. A 4-week AD (E) also resulted in increased expression of HMGB1 within the endothelium (G) (mean ± SEM, p < 0.05) and media (H) (mean ± SEM, p < 0.0001) but not in the adventitia (I) when compared to CD rings (A). Glyz was able to block increased expression of HMGB-1 after a 4-week AD (F) when compared to the endothelium (G) (mean ± SEM, p < 0.05) and media (H) (mean ± SEM, p < 0.0001) of AD rings. Please note that to better visualize the endothelium for the image, a section of the endothelium was cropped and enlarged from each group ×1000 image, no quantification was done on these images. Abbreviations: AA, abdominal aorta; AD, atherogenic diet; CD, standard control diet; Hcy, homocysteine; HMGB-1, high-mobility group box-1; Glyz, Glycyrrhizic acid; SEM, standard error of mean. Key: * = p < 0.05; *** = p < 0.001; **** = p < 0.0001; dark blue = control; black = Hcy; light blue = Glyz; medium blue = Hcy + Glyz; red = AD and light pink = AD + Glyz.