LDLR and atherosclerosis: Therefore, the rabbit model has provided tremendous breakthroughs and insights into understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of atherosclerosis, including the discoveries of LDLR deficiency as a cause for human familial hypercholesterolemia6 and statin, the most potent lipid-lowering drug7, which is prescribed annually for more than 30 million hyperlipidemic patients worldwide8, 9.