To establish relation of PDCD4-mediated macrophage autophagy in the development of atherosclerosis in vivo, we transfused bone marrow cells derived from WT or pdcd4−/− mice into irradiated ldlr−/− (WT→ldlr−/− and pdcd4−/−→ldlr−/−) mice, respectively. The gene discussed is PDCD4; the disease is atherosclerosis.