MiR-26 decreases atherosclerosis development in vivo by suppressing the expression of multiple genes, including ACC1, ACC2, ACLY, ACSL3, ACSL4, ALDH3A2, ALPL, BMP2, CD36, COL1A1, CPT1A, CTGF, DGAT2, EHHADH, FAS, FBP1, GATA4, GSK3β, G6PC, Gys2, HMGA1, HMGB1, LDLR, LIPC, IL-1β, IL-6, JAG2, KCNJ2, MALT1, β-MHC, NF-κB, PCK1, PLCβ1, PYGL, RUNX2, SCD1, SMAD1, SMAD4, SMAD5, SMAD7, SREBF1, TAB3, TAK1, TCF7L2, and TNF-α. This evidence concerns the gene SMAD7 and atherosclerosis.