VCAM1 and atherosclerosis: β-Carotene also decreased the expression of interleukin (IL)-1a, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), E-selectin, and genes involved in cholesterol metabolism and excretion, such as ABCG1, ABCG5, and ABCG8; this suggests its potential to inhibit atherosclerosis progression and, more generally, the inflammatory process in humans [32].