Scientists have uncovered 20 genes that they believe may hold the key to controlling cholesterol. German researchers say that the genes they have discovered affect the amount of cholesterol in cells and could play a role in creating a risk for heart disease, as well as offering the potential for new treatments for lowering cholesterol.
The researchers said that as blood cholesterol levels are controlled by the amount of cholesterol in cells, the genes identified as regulating cell cholesterol could help reduce high blood cholesterol in the future. The condition, known as hypercholesterolemia, is linked to cardiovascular mortality and events such as heart attacks and strokes.
The discovery was made when scientists from the University of Heidelberg used a technique called RNA interference to isolate the instructions that the genes issue to make proteins. The researchers starved isolated cells of cholesterol and then examined which genes reacted. Having identified the genes, they then turned them selectively on and off to see what effect their action had on the cells.
The scientists said that the methods they used to identify the genes signified a move from discovering genes in single families or genomic studies with larger numbers of people. They said that analysing many genes at the same time not only made it easier to discover the relevant genes but improved description of the molecular roles of cholesterol regulators in affecting health and disease.
The results from the study have been published in this week’s edition of the journal Cell Metabolism.