PCSK9 and atherosclerosis: To investigate the role of IL-1α and the NLRP3 inflammasome in a nongenetic mouse model of atherosclerosis, we induced hypercholesterolemia in WT, Il1a-/-, Nlrp3-/-, and Il1b-/- mice by a single injection of a hyperactive pro-protein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9)-adeno-associated virus (rAAV) followed by a Western-type diet (PCSK9) for 12 weeks (Figure 1A).