CSF2 and atherosclerosis: In apolipoprotein E null (ApoE−/−) mice, which are prone to atherosclerosis, extracellular HSP27 was reported to activate the NF-κB signaling pathway to induce increased expression of granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), and ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1), thus facilitating cholesterol efflux [17].