Short-term capsaicin diet protects SCD mice from VOE. (A) Diagram of experimental design. (B–E) Number of adherent leukocytes (B), rolling leukocytes (C), and WBC-RBC heterotypic interactions (D) and blood flow rate (E) in in the postcapillary collecting venues of cremaster muscle in standard diet–treated SCD mice (n = 41 venules from five mice) and capsaicin diet–treated SCD mice (n = 47 venules from five mice) analyzed by intravital microscopy.(F) Survival time of standard diet–treated SCD mice (n = 5) or capsaicin diet–treated SCD mice (n = 5) in TNFα-induced acute vaso-occlusion. (G and H) Percentage of aged neutrophils (G) and absolute number of aged neutrophils (H) in peripheral blood of standard diet–treated SCD mice (n = 5) or capsaicin diet–treated SCD mice (n = 5). Error bars, mean ± SEM; *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001. Data represent at least two independent experiments analyzed using unpaired Student’st test in B–E, G, and H and Mantel–Cox test (log-rank) for the survival analysis in F.