Double knockout mice of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and LTA (ApoE−/−LTA−/− mice) showed less extent of atherosclerosis than ApoE−/−LTA+/+ mice, indicating LTA deteriorates atherosclerosis in vivo, consistent with the result of the genetic association study of LTA as a genetic risk for atherosclerotic disease. This evidence concerns the gene APOE and atherosclerosis.