In addition to Akt, effectors downstream of PI3K include Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) and Protein kinase Cζ (PKCζ), but of the many of PI3K signaling pathways, the PI3K/Akt pathway is most closely related to atherosclerosis. This evidence concerns the gene PIK3CA and atherosclerosis.