In atherosclerosis other groups have targeted DNA vaccines to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) [49, 50], TIE2 (an endothelial marker) [27], and CD99 a leukocyte and endothelial antigen[51] resulting in significantly reduced atherosclerosis and leukocyte infiltration in ApoE-/- mice. Here, TEK is linked to atherosclerosis.