Study Finds 11 New Cholesterol Genes
Results may lead to more prevention and treatment of heart attack
Dec 10, 2008
A recent report has found that in a study of 40,000 people, 11 additional cholesterol genes that govern levels of blood fats such as cholesterol and triglycerides have been found.
These genes, not previously suspected at contributing to the metabolism of cholesterol in humans, appear to do just that, said Sekar Kathiresan, lead author of the report and director of preventive cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital. The report is published in Nature Genetics.
More Research Needed to Understand How the Genes are Helpful
The next step in the research will be to look at how these additional genes play a role in humans, Kathiresan said.
With the findings in this study, 30 genes are now identified as controlling blood fat levels. Understanding how the newly identified players fill their roles could lead researchers to target them so they can better understand how they help reduce cholesterol levels and heart disease.
The Research Was Based on Previous Genetic Study
The research was based at 37 research facilities in the United States and around the world, using baseline data from participants in the Framingham Heart Study, conducted in the early 1960s. That study established how certain cholesterols play a part in the development of cardiovascular disease. For the current study, researchers added genetic samples from another 20,600 participants from several other studies.
Some of the 11 newly identified genes have mutations that cause serious cholesterol disorders and other problems such as type 2 diabetes. The study shows, for the first time, that gene variations often play a role in the differing levels of cholesterol and blood fats of individuals.
The 30 genes that have been identified to this point account for about 20 percent of the cholesterol and fats in individual’s blood levels.
Real World Applications of the Study Data
The information has several possible applications, Kathiresan said, including using the information to identify people at an earlier age -- in their 30s or 40s -- that may develop high cholesterol levels and heart disease later in life. If applicable, this information would help people prepare for these conditions, work with their doctors to develop a healthy life plan and possibly reverse the health impacts caused by these conditions.
Study Results May Lead to Prevention and Assessing Risk of Heart Attack, High Cholesterol
There is also the possibility that these newly identified genes will shed some light on how blood fats and cholesterol are metabolized by the body that would lead to new drug treatments to reduce cholesterol and prevent or control artery blockage, he said.
New studies are being developed to test whether individuals inheriting these genes are at higher risk for heart attack, and, therefore, are more likely to benefit from cholesterol-lowering treatments.
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