APOE and deep vein thrombosis: Regulation of lipid metabolism and foam cell formation: In addition to secretion-mediated miRNA regulation, MSCs can also promote the reverse transport of cholesterol by secreting apolipoprotein E (ApoE); the Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology research in 2025 shows that ApoE secreted by UC MSCs can bind to ApoE receptors on the surface of macrophages, activate the ABCA1 pathway, promote the transfer of cholesterol from foam cells to high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and reduce the volume of lipid cores (Xiao et al., 2022).