Scots' cholesterol research could be life-saver

SCOTTISH scientists have discovered new genes linked to high cholesterol, paving the way for tests to predict a person's risk of heart disease.

An international team of researchers, including experts at Edinburgh University, studied the genetic make-up of more than 100,000 volunteers to help to pinpoint genes which might have an impact on cholesterol levels.

The scientists said the study showed for the first time that it was possible to predict who was likely to develop high cholesterol using a genetic blood test.

This could mean children being tested early in life to show those most at risk, so they could take action to control their diet and limit their chances of developing heart disease later.

The findings could also lead to new cholesterol-lowering drugs which could improve the health of people at risk of heart disease.

High levels of "bad" low- density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol cause serious harm in the body by clogging the arteries.

The researchers, writing in the journal Nature, identified 95 genes that had an effect on cholesterol, including 59 which were not previously known to be involved in the process.

They said people carrying many variants in these genes were 14 times more likely to have very high cholesterol than people without the differences.

Dr Jim Wilson, a Royal Society University Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, who worked on the study, said: "Apart from highlighting a number of new potential drug targets, this landmark study is the first to show that we can predict from our genes who is likely to have very high cholesterol levels.

"As genes are present from birth, this would allow those at high risk to modify their lifestyle before the effects of high cholesterol damage their heart."

Coronary heart disease is the UK's biggest killer, leading to one-in-four male deaths and one-in-six female deaths.

High cholesterol levels create fatty deposits inside arteries that can trigger problems by breaking off and blocking blood flow.

The international team of scientists was led by Harvard University in the United States and included researchers from the Orkney Complex Disease Study (ORCADES) and the Croatian 10,001 Dalmatians study, both led from Edinburgh University.

Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "We've known for a long time that having high levels of harmful LDL cholesterol in the blood can lead to heart disease. That's why medicines that lower cholesterol, such as statins, are so effective at preventing heart attacks.

"The findings in this study, that as many as 95 different genes seem to be involved in regulating cholesterol levels in the blood, illustrate just how complicated the biology is.

"A great deal more research is needed to understand precisely what these genes do and how they interact.

"Although this is just a first step down a long road, the good news is that the more we understand about cholesterol regulation, the more likely it is that new drugs will be developed to prevent heart disease."