NFKB1 and atherosclerosis: In atherosclerosis, disturbed blood flow patterns at vessel branchpoints, curvatures, and bifurcations induce cytoskeletal stiffening, elevated oxidant stress, and low levels of chronic NF-κB activation that primes these areas for further activation by atherogenic stimuli (Hajra et al., 2000; Hahn and Schwartz, 2009; Fang and Davies, 2012).