And here is a passage from an abstract of a study - more of the same:

 

QUOTE:  Macrophages play a central role in the development and progression of atherosclerotic lesions. It is well known that oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) promotes the recruitment of monocytes (which differentiate to macrophages) into the intima... These results indicate that ox-LDL prevents apoptosis in M-CSF-deprived macrophages at least in part by inhibiting acid sphingomyelinase. This in turn prevents ceramide-induced down-regulation of PKB, the activity of which is required to maintain production of Bcl-XL.  UNQUOTE.

 

TITLE: Oxidized low density lipoprotein inhibits macrophage apoptosis by blocking ceramide generation, thereby maintaining protein kinase B activation and Bcl-XL levels.

 

SOURCE:  J Biol Chem. 2003 Jul 4;278(27):24399-408.

 

On the internet: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=abstractplus&db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=abstractplus&list_uids=12750385