Differential gene expression in aortae isolated from mice consuming normal water or that containing polystyrene beads

<p>Microplastics (MP) derived from the degradation of larger polymers or synthesized for commercial purposes are ubiquitous in the environment and have found their way into food supplies and water systems where human consumption is inevitable. We hypothesize that MP ingestion promotes CVD risk and atherosclerosis. To test this idea, we supplied ApoE-/- mice with normal chow and either normal water or that containing polystyrene (PS) beads (0.5 μm in diameter; dose of 1 μg/ml). After 20 weeks of exposure, we evaluated lesion formation and gene expression data in cardiovascular tissue. We observed that mice consuming the PS water had increased lesion size compared to those mice consuming normal water. but no changes in plasma lipids or cytokines. An RNAseq analysis of collected aortae identified 1622 differentially expressed genes between the groups, consisting of 414 that were up-regulated and 1208 that were down-regulated. </p>