Increased activation of other STAT family members, including STAT2, STAT3, and STAT5 have also been observed in human abdominal aortic aneurysms (STAT6 was not evaluated), although it is not clear whether enhanced STAT phosphorylation contributes to aneurysms or is the result of inflammation caused by aneurysms (Liao et al., 2012). This evidence concerns the gene SOAT1 and abdominal aortic aneurysm.