CCR2 and atherosclerosis: Ccr2 is one of the M1 macrophage phenotype markers [5–8] and has been shown to be involved in macrophage-dependent inflammatory responses in various chronic inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis, Alzheimer disease, uveitis, and choroidal neovascularization [9–12] Ccr2 is expressed at the cell surface both variably and under stringent regulation [13]; however, the underlying mechanisms are obscure.