LDL cholesterol gene is discovered at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR) in San Antonio. The laboratory study was carried on experimental opossums fed with high cholesterol diet.
Results of their study will be published in the October 2010 issue of the Journal of Lipid Research. The work was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Knowledge Gained from Research on LDL Cholesterol Gene:
- The study was interested in knowing whether any changes took place in the genetic structures (technically known as mutation) which influence the cholesterol levels in the blood.
- This effort led to the discovery of the ABCB4 gene. Genes are chemical instructions followed by the cells in our body to function properly.
- This gene is found to be responsible for causing excretion of bad cholesterol from the body by the transfer of fats from the liver to the bile.
- When this gene malfunctions, cholesterol excretion gets impaired leading to its accumulation in the blood.
- Further research is focused on extending the research on to the humans and learning whether mutation in the ABCB4 gene influences bad cholesterol levels in individuals who consume high cholesterol diet.
- New developments in this aspect of study can provide the researchers knowledge of when the negative influence of this cholesterol commences in the body early.
- This can help the health professionals to caution the parents of obese children in particular about the possible health complications on consuming high fat diets early in life.
Significance of the Research on LDL Cholesterol Gene:
This form of cholesterol is known as the bad one. It is because increased levels of it in the blood can lead to the formation of plaque. These are cell debris which block the passages to the heart through which oxygen rich blood flows.
Obstruction or blockage of these pathways known as veins and arteries are the primary causes of all heart ailments. Knowledge of the gene which regulates the rise and fall of this cholesterol in the blood can open up new treatment options for cardiovescular diseases.
