As a cytokine, colony-stimulating factor 2 (CSF2, also known as granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) deficiency has been reported to be associated with increased atherogenesis under hypercholesterolemic conditions in mouse models (6), and the administration of CSF2 can prevent the progression of atherosclerosis through changes in the composition of atherosclerotic lesions (7). Here, CSF2 is linked to atherosclerosis.