Although the total cholesterol level of ApoE-/- mice is comparable to that of Ldlr-/-Apobec1-/- mice (~560 mg/dL) and both strains develop robust atherosclerosis on normal chow [30], most of the cholesterol in ApoE-/- mice resides in very low density lipoprotein and chylomicron (not in LDL). This evidence concerns the gene APOE and atherosclerosis.