CCL2 and atherosclerosis: The tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-1 (both of which activate endothelial cells to express the adhesion molecules), E-selectin, P-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) are cytokines expressed by macrophages capable of binding plasma monocytes to the endothelium where they are attracted into the artery wall by MCP-1 and so on the cycle begins again, favouring atherosclerosis progression.