DKK3 and atherosclerosis: It is well established that endothelial cells play an essential role in homeostasis of the vascular wall.36 To investigate the possible mechanism associated with the accelerated atherosclerosis in DKK3-/-/ApoE-/- mice, we first analyzed the integrity of the endothelium by injecting Evans blue in DKK3-/-/ApoE-/- and DKK3+/+/ApoE-/- mice.