Although lower serum levels of CCL4, CXCL10, and TNFα in TIC-treated animals compared to CLO-treated animals (Fig 4B, 4C & 4D) could also explain the better protection by TIC than by CLO against atherosclerosis (Fig 2A & 2B), the lack of induction of these genes by either TIC or CLO (Fig 5C) makes them less likely candidates for the phenotype. This evidence concerns the gene CCL4 and atherosclerosis.