Aim To investigate the changes of autophagy of the common carotid atherosclerosis( As) at the different stages in apolipoprotein E gene knockout( ApoE~(-/-)) mice. Methods 6-weeks-old male ApoE~(-/-)mice( n = 40)were randomly divided into two groups and fed with common adaptability diet for 2 weeks. The mice of the control group( n= 10) received a sham operation and the common diet for another 8 weeks. While the model mice( n= 30) received a right common carotid artery cannulation and then were randomly sub...