POU5F1 and atherosclerosis: Recently, we found that the pluripotency factor OCT4, which was believed to be silenced in somatic cells, plays an atheroprotective role in SMC in that genetic inactivation of OCT4 in SMC led to the worsening of atherosclerosis development in atherosclerotic Apoe‒/‒ mice at least in part by preventing SMC migration and investment into the protective fibrous cap (5).