As for VSMC autophagy in atherogenesis, a study by Pi S et al. [137]demonstrated that the activation of the P2RY12 receptor triggered mTOR throughthe phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway, resulting in the inhibition ofautophagy in advanced atherosclerosis and reduced cholesterol outflow. Here, AKT1 is linked to atherosclerosis.