MMP9 and atherosclerosis: In this study, we demonstrated that P2X7R was upregulated under oxLDL stimulation in macrophages and that its inhibition significantly reduced EMMPRIN and MMP-9 expression, which indicates that P2X7R is a regulator of EMMPRIN and MMP-9 and could be a potential therapeutic target for inhibiting plaque rupture or retarding atherosclerosis.