Atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in China [1]. With advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of atherosclerosis vascular inflammation, lipid metabolism dysfunction, and hypertension are regarded as the main pathogenetic pathways of both early atherogenesis and advanced plaque rupture [2,3]. Currently, much attention is being paid to the control of these pathways, which offers the potential for development of novel therapeutic approaches in the treatment of cardiovascular disease in China.In the past few decades, considerable evidence has underscored that atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall, where numerous molecular inflammatory components such as organophosphate and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) play crucial roles in the development of atherosclerosis [4,5]. ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a cytomembrane transporter first cloned in 1994, has been identified as playing a key role in cholesterol reverse transport (RCT), which is regarded as anti-atherosclerotic. Evidence from many recent studies indicates that inflammation impairs RCT, and many atherogenic-related mediators play distinct regulatory roles in ABCA1 expression [2]. Liu and colleagues [6] (South Central University) investigated the effect of paraoxon, an active metabolite of organophosphorus insecticide that increases cholesterol retention in macrophages [4], on ABCA1 expression and ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux in RAW 264.7 macrophage-derived foam cells, and found that paraoxon significantly downregulated ABCA1 expression and reduced ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux through cyclic AMP signaling pathway. Our group [7,8] (University of South China) found that LPS and interferon (IFN)-γ can downregulate expression of ABCA1 and promote accumulation of lipid and decrease cellular cholesterol efflux in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells.Vascular endothelial dysfunction is known as the primary step in vascular inflammation and atherogenesis. Liu and colleagues [9] (Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences) discovered that human paraoxonase gene cluster transgenic overexpression represses atherogenesis and promotes atherosclerotic plaque stability in apoE-null mice. They also found that endothelium-specific overexpression of class III deacetylase SIRT1 decreases atherosclerosis in apoE-deficient mice [10]. Liu et al. [11] (Central South University) found that treatment with paraoxon resulted in significant inhibition of endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR) in rabbits as well as a significant decrease of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity in isolated aorta. These findings suggest that subchronic exposure to environmentally relevant matter such as LPS and organophosphate, even at low concentrations, potentiates inflammation, cholesterol retention, and