Unfavorable functional and structural changes inthe vascular intima are the main reasons for increasedAS, including extracellular matrix degeneration, collagendeposition and cross-linking, elastin depletion andfragmentation, proliferation of vascular smooth musclecells, macrophage and monocyte infiltration,inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction [23]. This evidence concerns the gene ELN and endothelial dysfunction.