APOE and atherosclerosis: In fact, C2238/αANP induces a significant downregulation of ApoE which plays an important role on atherosclerosis development.19, 20 ApoE is a 34-kDa protein that participates in the mobilization and distribution of cholesterol and of other lipids among various tissues of the body.20 It is known that ApoE deficiency alone promotes the development of aortic atherosclerotic plaques in mice.21 Previous studies demonstrated that ApoE exerts also pleiotropic antiatherosclerotic and anti-inflammatory cellular effects.