CD40 and atherosclerosis: First, platelets contain approximately 95% of the CD40L found inhuman beings, and thus are a crucial link in the regulation of the CD40/CD40L pathway,as many cells express its receptor, CD40.These cells include fibroblasts, endothelial, epithelial, monocytes,neutrophils, B cells, and dendritic cells.CD40L is found in abnormallyhigh levels in the blood of patients with chronic inflammatory diseases such asdiabetes, atherosclerosis, as well as some recipients of platelet transfusions[33, 37–40].