Monocyte Chemokines Enhance Atherosclerotic Plaque Necrosis After Bacterial Kidney Infection

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are frequent and highly inflammatory. Using a pyelonephritis mouse model, we investigated the impact of pyelonephritis on the development of atherosclerosis. Bulk RNA sequencing analysis of kidneys and aortas harvested four weeks post-infection was performed to identify key molecular markers and delineate differentially regulated inflammatory pathways in both organs. Our results show an upregulation of inflammatory mediators in kidney and aorta, providing a possible mechanistic link between pyelonephritis and atherosclerosis.