Fig 1: DRP-1 associates with Bak at mitochondrial fission sites to induce cytochrome c release.A, B HUVECs were pre-treated with Mas (3 μM) for 2 h and then, LPS was applied to induce inflammatory injury together with Mas for another 48 h. Model group was treated with LPS only for 48 h. Representative western blot analysis to determine the proteins expression of OPA1 in HUVEC cells. C Representative immunofluorescence images for detecting Mfn1/2 (red), DAPI (blue) (n = 4 per group). Scale bar: 50 μm. D Representative immunofluorescence images for colocalization of DRP-1 (green) and Bak (red) expressions of aorta, DAPI (blue) (n = 4 per group). Scale bar: 50 μm. E Representative immunofluorescence images for colocalization of TOMM20 (green) and cytochrome c (red) expressions of aorta, DAPI (blue) (n = 4 per group). Scale bar: 50 μm. F–I HUVECs were pre-treated with Mas (3 μM) for 2 h and then, LPS was applied to induce inflammatory injury together with Mas for another 48 h. Model group was treated with LPS only for 48 h. Representative western blot analysis to determine the proteins expression of Bax, cytochrome c and cleaved-caspase 3 in HUVEC cells. J Representative immumohistochemical images for E2F3 expression in aorta (n = 4 per group). Enlarged images of area of interesting (AOI) were indicated with red block diagrams. Scale bar: 50 μm. K Representative immumohistochemical images for E2F3 expression in coronary bifurcation arteritis (n = 4 per group). Scale bar: 50 μm. L Representative immumohistochemical images for p53 expression in aorta (n = 4 per group). Enlarged images of area of interesting (AOI) were indicated with red block diagrams. Scale bar: 50 μm. M Representative immumohistochemical images for p53 expression in coronary bifurcation arteritis (n = 4 per group). Scale bar: 50 μm. N The schematic diagram describes the mitophagy which seems to work as the driving force of DRP-1/Bak/BNIP3-dependent endothelial cells apoptosis. One-way ANOVA was followed by post hoc Tukey’s test. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, vs ctrl group, #P < 0.05, ###P < 0.001, vs model group.