TGFB1 and aortic aneurysm: Concordant with the intricate functional relationship between CCN2 and TGF-β, mice with SMC-specific ablation of TGF-β signaling on a proatherosclerotic background (either Apoe–/– or Ldlr–/–) developed aortic aneurysms in response to a hypercholesterolemic diet (21).