Identifying this receptor and elucidating how it works will be important for two reasons: it will teach us more about the export of PCSK9 and other soluble proteins from the ER in mammals, and it might lead to the development of novel therapies to reduce the levels of low-density lipoproteins in the blood and therefore help prevent atherosclerosis and heart disease. This evidence concerns the gene PCSK9 and atherosclerosis.