Use of pharmacological inhibitors and RNA interference assays demonstrated that extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 played an important role in the IFN‐γ‐mediated phosphorylation, and thereby activation, of STAT1 on S727, the expression of four key genes implicated in atherosclerosis [chemokines monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 (MCP‐1), macrophage inflammatory protein‐1β, IFN‐γ‐induced protein‐10, and intercellular adhesion molecule‐1] and the uptake of modified lipoproteins by human macrophages.13 The gene discussed is MAPK3; the disease is atherosclerosis.