NPY and atherosclerosis: To determine whether NPY-evoked signaling contributes to atherosclerosis, we attenuated the vascular effects of NPY [26] with an NPY1 receptor antagonist that does not cross the blood-brain barrier: BIBP 3226 (BIBP) [8],[26],[27], which has been shown to reduce non-atherosclerotic neointimal hyperplasia in rats [8],[26].