Finally, we would like to mention that one of the most significantly downregulated genes in Atg16l1 deficient versus WT DCs (whether CD8α+ or CD11b+) was Slc15a2. This gene encodes a proton-coupled oligopeptide transporter recently found to mediate the transport of bacterially derived di-and tri-peptides that activate NOD receptors in bone marrow–derived macrophages.40 Although the relevance to atherosclerosis remains unknown, this finding may have important implications for the mechanisms of Crohn disease. This evidence concerns the gene ITGAM and atherosclerosis.