In one classic experiment in which mice overexpressing human pre-proET-1 in the endothelium (eET-1 mice) have been crossed with atherosclerosis-prone mice (apolipoprotein E −/− mice) and fed a high-fat diet, the lipid-containing plaques in crossed animals (eET-1/apolipoprotein E −/−) have been increased dramatically more than in E −/− mice, along with an increase in BP. This evidence concerns the gene APOE and atherosclerosis.