TREM2 and atherosclerosis: For this, we leveraged transcriptomic and proteomic data from two independent cohorts: the Biobank of Karolinska Endarterectomies (BiKE)21–23 and the Stockholm-Tartu Atherosclerosis Reverse Network Engineering Task (STARNET).24,25 In line with TREM2 gene expression in lesional macrophages, we observed significantly elevated TREM2 protein expression in carotid plaques compared to normal arteries (Figure 3E).