June 5,2001--
Researchers in Salt Lake City have found a big piece of the heart disease puzzle.
Scientists at Myriad Genetics say they've discovered the gene responsible for high cholesterol in people who have heart attacks at a young age.
The gene, called CHD2, has been found to produce an abnormal amount of protein that can lead to high levels of bad cholesterol, LDL,
and low levels of good cholesterol, HDL.
The CHD2 gene, and its function, was discovered by a combination of genetic analysis of families whose
members had heart attacks at an early age, and an analysis of biological pathways.
In total, more than
5,000 individuals from 145 families were analyzed to identify the gene.
Plans are now underway to develop a drug that would counter the effect of the gene to reduce the risk of heart disease.
According to the American Heart Association, 100 million Americans have at
least borderline high cholesterol levels.
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