PPARs in atherosclerosis: the clot thickens

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Western countries. Previous studies have highlighted the beneficial effects of PPARgamma activators on cardiovascular disease; however, the role of other PPAR family members in atherosclerosis is less clear. A report in this issue of the JCI expands our understanding of PPARs in vascular biology and highlights the potential use of multiple PPAR agonists to limit lipid accumulation in macrophages (see the related article beginning on page 1564).