miR-16 targets and inhibits PDCD4 expression in atherosclerosis to suppress the activation of inflammatory macrophages through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and NF-κB signaling, and suppresse the expression of proinflammatory factors, including interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), whereas it enhanced the expression of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10. Here, PDCD4 is linked to atherosclerosis.