To gain insight on the effects of cholesterol loading on macrophage gene expression and its relation to atherosclerosis susceptibility, we incubated bone-marrow derived macrophages from atherosclerosis resistant AKR ApoE−/− and atherosclerosis susceptible DBA/2 ApoE−/− mice with acetylated LDL (AcLDL). This evidence concerns the gene APOE and atherosclerosis.