CSF2 and atherosclerosis: In the context of atherosclerosis, various factors can induce the respiratory burst, including pro-inflammatory cytokines, lipids such as cholesterol, oxLDL, acute phase proteins like CRP, growth factors such as granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), circulating immune complexes, and others (Ferrante et al., 1988; Kannan et al., 2007).