Specifically, while lesion leukocyte infiltration was increased in male agouti KKAy+/–ApoE–/– concomitant to enhanced TSP-1 expression in the vascular wall, inflammatory cell content was markedly attenuated in MetS KKAy+/–ApoE–/– vs. non-MetS genotypes in female mice. Here, APOE is linked to metabolic syndrome.