Contradictory findings suggesting differential effects of proteasome inhibition in the vascular environment have curbed enthusiasm for PIs as anti-atherosclerotic therapies.64,115 A study by Tummala et al.64 supported the atheroprotective potential of MG-101 and lactacystin PIs as VCAM-1–blocking agents by inhibiting angiotensin II-induced VCAM-1 mRNA accumulation and promoter transactivation via the NF-κB pathway in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs) modelling arterial hypertension. Here, VCAM1 is linked to Hypertension.