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Atherosclerosis, one of the most important vascular dis-eases worldwide, is a complex and progressive disease characterized by accumulation of lipids and fibrous ele-ments in large arteries [1]. Epidemiological studies have revealed numerous risk factors for atherogenesis, in-cluding gender, smoking, hyperlipidemia, inflammation, and genetic background [1]. Histopathology studies of the vascular changes during atherogenesis have shown that blood derived inflammatory cells, particularly monocyte/macrophages, play a key role in the initiation and progression of the disease. Highly inflammatory monocytes express increased levels of immunogenic factors such as Toll-like receptors (TLR) and cytokines, e.g., TNF-α and IL-1 [2]. TNF-α is an important pro-inflammatory cytokine which is involved in endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction and atherosclerosis by down