Atherosclerosis is one of the most prevalent fatal diseases in Western societies, and results
from an intricate interplay between diverse factors such as lipid metabolism, blood
coagulation elements, cytokines, hemodynamic stress, and behavioral risk factors.
Atherosclerotic lesions are characterized by the infiltration of immune competent cells such
as macrophages and T-lymphocytes, the proliferation of intimal cells of the arterial wall, the
accumulation of lipids and the deposition of extracellular matrix components. For some …