Gene Therapy for Controlling Cholesterol
Scientists have successfully used gene therapy for controlling cholesterol in mice. All it takes is a single injection to alter a liver gene.
In a study on mice, scientists were able to disrupt the way the gene, PCSK9, works. The liver gene regulates cholesterol, the fatty substance that builds up in arteries and prevents blood flow, causing heart attacks and strokes.
With the new therapy, cholesterol levels in mice dropped by 35% to 40%, which is what cholesterol drugs currently do in humans. The change in the genome is permanent, and eliminates the need to take medication daily. According to the lead researcher, the procedure may become available for humans in five to ten years.
The study was published in Circulation Research, a journal of the American Heart Association. More….
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