pDC deficiency in Apoe–/– mice induced by anti–mPDCA-1 (anti mouse-plasmacytoid dendritic cell antigen-1) treatment, an approach broadly used to deplete specifically pDCs (47), protects from atherosclerosis (46, 47), either by direct reduction of IFN-α production (46), or indirectly by reducing Th1 proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as IL-12, IFN-γ and CXCL1, CXCL10 (47). The gene discussed is APOE; the disease is atherosclerosis.