Figure 4.

Exposure of $Ldl{r}^{-/-}$ mice to the PFAS mixture for 7 wk and inflammatory and atherosclerotic outcomes. Circulating cytokine protein levels for (A) TNF-$\mathrm{\alpha }$, (B) MCP-1, and (C) IL-6 were measured from plasma collected at euthanasia from mice of each treatment group ($n=5$). (D) En face aortas were stained with Oil Red O for $n=4$ mice per treatment group and representative images of stained aortas are shown. (E) The percentage of staining was quantified to determine aortic atherosclerotic percentage. Two-way ANOVA was used to analyze both main effects (i.e., sex, PFAS), as well as the interaction between sex and PFAS (interaction $p<0.05$). The Holm–Sidak post hoc test was used for multiple comparisons. With past consultation from biostatisticians, a significant interaction term supersedes the main effects and can make their meaning unclear. We therefore have not included the main effects $p$-values for any result with a significant interaction. Box plots represent the median values with upper and lower quartiles; whiskers extend to the 1st and 99th percentiles. Data are reported in Excel Tables S9 and S10. Note: ANOVA, analysis of variance; IL, interleukin; Ldlr, low density lipoprotein receptor; MCP, monocyte chemoattractant protein; PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances; TNF, tumor necrosis factor.