ANGPTL2 and metabolic syndrome: To study the role of angptl2 in atherogenesis, we used LDLr−/−; hApoB100+/+ mice characterized by severe dyslipidemia, that is, abnormally high circulating levels of total cholesterol (8‐fold), LDL‐cholesterol (20‐fold), and triglycerides (9‐fold).21–22,26 Three‐month‐old ATX mice exhibit premature endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation; ATX mice develop aortic atherosclerotic plaques by the age of 6 months21–22,26 (Figures 5 and 6).