The partially contradicting outcomes of these studies can potentially be attributed to different experimental settings, e.g. for experimental atherosclerosis different knockout (KO) animal models (Apoe-KO, Ldlr-KO mice, systemic vs. bone marrow-specific KO), with or without antibiotic pretreatment and with or without different NOD ligand or bacterial pathogen administration regimes were used. Here, APOE is linked to atherosclerosis.