Iron overload accelerates endothelial cell dysfunction through its pro-oxidation and pro-inflammatory effects, including increasing monocyte and endothelial cell adhesion and promoting the expression of inflammatory factors such as vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1), monocytechemoattractantprotein-1 (MCP-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Here, VCAM1 is linked to Tangier disease.