PCSK9 and carotid atherosclerosis: Three weeks after tamoxifen injection, Txndc5∆ECKO and control mice (Cdh5-Cre/ERT2) were subjected to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) overexpression using adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9-PCSK9) followed by HFD and PCAL, an established model of accelerated carotid atherosclerosis within 3 to 4 weeks (experimental scheme shown in Fig. 2E) (20).