For example, it was reported that splenic marginal zone B cells increased plaque development when depleted (33), peritoneal B-1a cells either promoted atherosclerosis when cells were depleted or inhibited plaque size when cells were expanded (6, 7, 34), and a novel splenic subset termed IRA B cells which express GM-CSF was associated with the disease (35). Here, CSF2 is linked to atherosclerosis.