Later, the SASP of ECs was speculated to play a role in atherosclerosis since senescent ECs were shown to produce many cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, MCP-1, and TNF-α), adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), growth factors (vascular endothelial growth factor and TGF-β), and proteases (MMPs) in vitro. This evidence concerns the gene CCL2 and atherosclerosis.