Saw this the other day which may tie in with what you're saying? "Bacteria present in carotid arterial plaques are found as biofilm deposits which may contribute to enhanced risk of plaque rupture" : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24917599/
That does seem related, but it suggests something even more unexpected, which is that live bacteria are forming biofilms in arterial plaque.
So the LDL is picking up live and dead bacteria and then adhering to the side of arteries.
Biofilms (for anyone unfamiliar) are a form of coordination used by bacteria.
Through simple signaling mechanisms they are able to decide which bacteria are on the outer edge, and which bacteria are safe inside.
The guys on the edge become hard and defensive, and protect the inner bacteria from threats (like the immune system).
