ACE2 and atherosclerosis: ACE2 deficiency contributes to enhanced atherosclerotic plaque formation and also increases proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, which defined the key role of ACE2 in modulation of inflammation-dependent atherosclerosis development [44].