NOS3 and atherosclerosis: In addition, statins enhance expression of growth factors, activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt-mediated signaling pathway, and postpone the initiation of atherosclerosis through decreased regulation of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by upregulating endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mRNA expression and decreasing superoxide anion O2-production in endothelial cells [4, 5].