In a murine model of atherosclerosis, the SOST gene (which encodes sclerostin) was expressed in the aorta and upregulation of SOST conferred vasculoprotection.(78) This finding supports the clinical experience of patients with sclerosteosis, a genetic mutation leading to the overexpression of the SOST gene and thus exhibit naturally high levels of sclerostin. The gene discussed is SOST; the disease is sclerosteosis.