Importantly, we further verified that SLC44A2 protein and mRNA levels were significantly increased in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) (Figure 1, G and H), with immunostaining indicating higher SLC44A2 levels in the media layer of human AAA aortas compared with controls (Figure 1I). This evidence concerns the gene SLC44A2 and abdominal aortic aneurysm.