Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have shown that there is a genetic link to high levels of the ‘good’ cholesterol HDL-C in the blood and think they have discovered the genetic makeup that explains why some people naturally have lots of ‘good’ cholesterol and others don’t. HDL is beneficial because it carries excess cholesterol, which otherwise can block the arteries and cause heart attacks and strokes, back to the liver for processing and elimination.
Daniel Rader and his colleagues at the University looked at the LIPG gene in 585 subjects of European Ancestry to see how mutations in this gene affected levels of HDL. They discovered that there was a previously unreported mutation of this gene that was unique to those people with very high HDL-C levels. Upon further investigation they concluded that the mutations in the LIPG gene caused there to be less activity of a certain type of lipase, the endothelial lipase. This has provided crucial evidence that inhibiting this type of lipase is very likely to raise HDL-C levels in humans.
It has now been suggested that the research may lead to the development of a medication that would suppress the action of the endothelial lipase. Scientists have already said that there is a strong likelihood that the lipase plays a role in the development of atherosclerosis, when fatty plaques build up and block the arteries.