(2) Clinical data have confirmed the vital role of apoptosis (belongs to the regulation module of cell death) in the pathogenesis in a variety of CVDs, such as myocardial infarction, heart failure, and atherosclerosis, owning to the cardiac cells injury28, the activation of RXRA (Retinoic acid receptor RXR-alpha) has been reported to be closely related to hyperglycemia-induced cardiac myocytes apoptosis29. This evidence concerns the gene RXRA and atherosclerosis.