KRIT1 and cerebral cavernous malformation: In addition, our findings that KRIT1 haploinsufficiency in mice sensitizes atheroprone and oxidative stress-sensitive regions of the aorta to the development ED and atherosclerosis are consistent with our original hypothesis that KRIT1 deficiency sensitizes capillary beds to the development of CCM lesions by increasing their susceptibility to local oxidative stress events [4].