Specific gene may play a causal role in heart disease independent of cholesterol levels
High cholesterol is the most commonly understood cause of atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries that raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.
But now, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a gene that likely plays a causal role in coronary artery disease independent of cholesterol levels. The gene also likely has roles in related cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure and diabetes.
The study appears March 24 in the journal
Science Translational Medicine.
Studying mice and genetic data from people, the researchers found that the gene called SVEP1 makes a protein that drives the development of plaque in the arteries. In mice, animals missing one copy of SVEP1 had less plaque in the arteries than mice with both copies. The researchers also selectively reduced the protein in the arterial walls of mice, and this further r
Gene variants increase risk of clogged arteries
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Researchers elected to American Society for Clinical Investigation – Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis
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