Adhesion molecules, pro- or anti-inflammatory factors and chemokines play important roles in atherosclerosis.1 For adhesion molecules, it has been shown that MerTK depletion increased the expression of leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion molecules, ICAM-1 (intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1) and VCAM-1 27. The gene discussed is MERTK; the disease is atherosclerosis.