APOE and atherosclerosis: Interestingly, double knockout of the EcSOD and ApoE genes (EcSOD−/−/ApoE−/−) resulted in smaller lesions than ApoE−/− mice, a mouse genetic model of atherosclerosis, and increased cholesterol, but serum or urine lipid peroxidation and oxLDL abundance in the aortic root suggesting that basal EcSOD may play a minor role in atherosclerosis [96], although this does not exclude the possibility that enhanced EcSOD abundance/activity in the vasculature is protective.