Cardiovascular disease remains the major cause of death in China. Atherosclerosis (As) has been a crucial pathological foundation of cardiovascular diseases. It is known that the vulnerable plaques in coronary artery are instability high-risk plaques with a tendency to thrombosis who develop rapidly, which act as the pathologic mechanism of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and ischemic stroke. Although the current anti-atherosclerosis therapy could reduce 30%～45% of acute myocardial infarction and stroke, residual risk of vulnerable plaques remains high. Therefore, it is critical to reach a better understanding of the pathogenesis for plaque vulnerability to identify and treat adverse cardiovascular events.