APOE and atherosclerosis: Sclerostin may maintain aortic homeostasis by inhibiting inflammation and degradation of the extracellular matrix [28]; moreover, both the transgenic introduction of human sclerostin, and the administration of recombinant mouse sclerostin into apolipoprotein E-deficient mice inhibited angiotensin II-induced aneurysm formation and atherosclerosis [28].