We have previously identified several atherosclerosis antigens serologically using recombinant cDNA expression cloning, and found a close association of the levels of antibodies against several autoantigens (e.g. RPA2, ATP2B4 and BMP1) with atherosclerosis-related diseases and risk factors of atherosclerosis-related diseases such as stroke, hypertension and smoking habits [10, 15]. This evidence concerns the gene BMP1 and atherosclerosis.