In addition, it allows penetration of oxidized lipid and various immune cells freely into the intima stimulating the formation of plaques.40 As periodontitis increased the serum level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, which could be released from residential or circulatory macrophages in mice with periodontitis, we confirmed that cytokines released from macrophages induced EndMT in HUVECs. Here, TNF is linked to periodontitis.