Doing so could be beneficial because higher amounts are associated with a reduced risk of atherosclerosis. Over the past two years, Professor Krieger and colleagues have reported indirect evidence for a role of this protein, a cell surface receptor, in HDL metabolism. The new work, however, is the first direct evidence. The research, which was conducted with mice, was reported in the November 11 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Professor Krieger also presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando, FL, on November 10.
Atherosclerosis is characterized by the buildup of cholesterol in the walls of arteries.
Clogged arteries, in turn, are a signature of coronary heart disease. The risk of developing atherosclerosis depends in large measure on the relative amounts of two particles that carry cholesterol through the bloodstream. One key to that process is an HDL receptor on the surface of cells at the end of the journey. Without the receptor, the cholesterol couldn't be transferred normally into the liver and other cells that usually consume the material. He said that his team and other researchers expect that the receptor will have similar functions in humans.