Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase-1 (IRAK1) is linked to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis; however, its role in macrophage foam cell formation is not known.
Further studies are needed to reproduce the current finding and to understand the biological relationship between IRAK1 and inflammation related to atherosclerosis.
Validation by real-time polymerase chain reaction was undertaken with 2 genes known to be up-regulated in atherosclerosis (interleukin 1beta [IL-1beta] and IL-8) and 2 novel genes identified by the array analysis (signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 [STAT6] and IL-1 receptor-associated kinase [IRAK]).