Scientists identify key cholesterol genes

Scientists have identified 95 gene variants that appear to influence a person’s levels of blood cholesterol.

The genes directly influence the metabolism of lipoprotein and could provide important targets for the development of new treatments, according to members of the international research team.

They were identified by analysing data from 46 previous studies, in which genetic information from more than 100,000 individuals had been collected.

Researchers believe that their findings, which are published in the journal Nature, could ultimately lead to new treatments for cholesterol.

Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, said high levels of harmful low-density lipoprotein can lead to heart disease and that cholesterol-lowering therapies can therefore help to prevent heart attacks.

Commenting on the latest research, he observed: “The more we understand about cholesterol regulation, the more likely it is that new drugs will be developed to prevent heart disease.”