TNF and atherosclerosis: Furthermore, atherosclerotic lesions in mice lacking LRP1 expression in macrophages are characterized by increased apoptosis, suggesting that LRP1 prevents atherosclerosis by promoting efferocytosis to remove apoptotic cells from plaques, which is also manifested as inhibition of the p-AKT survival pathway and the promotion of inflammation with increased IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α expression (63).