ICAM1 and inflammatory response: ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in aorta may have an important role in the initiation of atherogenesis, while in cardiac tissue, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 are reported to be upregulated in several studies at the onset of pressure overload by aortic constriction and in the presence of cardiac inflammation such as in myocardial infarction or inflammatory cardiomyopathy [12-15].