In atherosclerosis, ECs communicated extensively with pericyte cells and SMCs through LAMININ (LAMA5-(ITGA1+ITGB1), LAMA5-(ITGA7+ITGB1), LAMB2-(ITGA6+ITGB4), LAMB2-(ITGA6+ITGB1)) and COLLAGEN (COL4A1-(ITGA1+ITGB1), COL4A2-(ITGA1+ITGB1)) pathways (Figure 3E-3F). This evidence concerns the gene ITGA6 and atherosclerosis.