Noncanonical NF-κB signaling in microvessels of atherosclerotic lesions is associated with inflammation, atheromatous plaque morphology and myocardial infarction.

•Microvessels in atherosclerotic lesions are characterized by active noncanonical NF-κB signaling with stable NIK expression.•Chronic inflammatory disease patients exhibit increased NIK+ microvessels in lesions with stenosis greater than 40%.•NIK+ microvessels significantly correlate with inflammatory cell content of plaques.•NIK expression in endothelial cells is linked to neovascularization and plaque instability.•NIK+ microvessels associate to fatty, atheromatous plaques and are elevated in arteries implicated in myocardial infarction.