Overall, the protective role of endothelial autophagy against atherosclerosis is undoubtedly supported by the evidence that endothelial-specific deletion of the Atg5 and Atg7 genes in mice with an atheroprone background (Apoe−/−) increases atherosclerotic burdens upon exposure to chronic hyperlipidemia [56,70,77]. This evidence concerns the gene ATG7 and atherosclerosis.