To decipher the role of Batf3-dependent APCs in atherosclerosis while avoiding biases associated with the use of bone marrow chimeric models we here have used Batf3-/- mice that lack CD8α+ and CD103+ APCs and crossed these with Ldlr-/- mice to obtain Ldlr-/-Batf3-/- knock out animals. The gene discussed is ITGAE; the disease is atherosclerosis.