Carbon black nanoparticle intratracheal instillation does not alter cardiac gene expression

Exposure to nanoparticles has been associated with inflammation-related progression of atherosclerosis. To examine nanoparticle-induced cardiac effects in more detail, we characterized heart gene expression profiles alongside plasma proteins associated with cardiovascular disease in C57BL/6 mice intratracheally instilled with vehicle or 0.162 mg Printex 90 carbon black nanoparticles (CBNPs). Mice were killed 1, 3, and 28 days after the exposure and expression profiles were derived using DNA microarrays. Cardiac gene expression was unperturbed by CBNP exposure in two independent experiments, despite substantive changes in pulmonary and hepatic gene expression. MicroRNAs were not affected. Plasma levels of cell adhesion molecules (sE-selectin, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1) and total PAI-1 were immediately increased up to day 3, whereas Apo-A1 and Apo-E were marginally decreased on day 1. These data suggest that though adverse cardiovascular effects are likely following CBNP exposure, these effects are unlikely to be mediated by major direct effects on cardiac gene expression.