When exposed to various atherosclerosis risk factors, ECs express increased cell adhesion molecules, such as intercellular adhesion molecular-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecular-1 (VCAM-1) and E-selectin, to enhance leukocyte recruitment, initiate inflammation and finally promote the progression of atherosclerosis [52,53]. Here, VCAM1 is linked to atherosclerosis.