HSPB1 and atherosclerosis: An association between Hsp27 and atherosclerosis has been suggested, with several reports indicating that the expression of Hsp27 is inversely correlated with plaque burden in human carotid samples (Martin-Ventura et al. 2004, Martin-Ventura et al. 2006, Park et al. 2006, Lepedda et al. 2009).