Although many miRNAs are downregulated in atherosclerotic arteries26, Dicer expression in the aortas of Apoe−/− mice was not affected by 12 weeks of high-fat diet (HFD) feeding compared with mice fed a normal diet (Supplementary Fig. 1a), indicating that miRNA biogenesis by Dicer is not generally impaired during early atherosclerosis. This evidence concerns the gene DICER1 and atherosclerosis.