Changes in miR expression profile carotid plaques induced by acutely induced flow disturbances in apoe-/- mice on a high fat diet.

Atherosclerosis is causally related to disturbed flow through low and oscillatory shear stress. In order to study the miR expression profile in atherosclerotic plaques induced by disturbed flow, partial ligation of the carotid artery was performed. This procedure results acutely in severly reduced blood flow and in stenotic lesion formation within 6 weeks in apoe-/- mice on a high fat diet. We compared the miR expression profile in partially ligated left carotid arteries with the untreated right carotid artery to identify miRs which are involved in plaque formation through flow disturbances. The left carotid arteries of 6 female apoe-/- mice (6-8 weeks) were partially ligated (i.e. the external and internal carotid artery as well as the occipital artery were occluded; blood flow out of the common carotid artery occurs mainly through the superior thyroid artery). Following partial ligation the animals were fed a high fat diet for 6 weeks. Total RNA was isolated from partially ligated left carotid arteries and untreated right carotid arteries (control). MiRs expression profile of the partially ligated carotid arteries were compared with the control group. Biological replicates: 6 per group. One replicate per array.