Abstract Cardiovascular disease is ffie leading cause of death in the developed world, and the majority of which results from complications of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis results from a complex interaction between inflammatory cells, vascular elements and lipoproteins. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) belong to the steroid hormone receptor family and are ligand-activated nuclear transcription factors. The activation of PPAR-α is well-known to modulate lipid metabolism in vitro and in viw, and PPAR-α natural ligands fibrates (e.g. fenofibrate) are currently used clinically for dyslipidemia. In addition to the important role in fatty acid and lipid metabolism, recent animal and human studies have demonstrated