Researchers at the University of Michigan have identified a
new potential therapeutic target for lowering cholesterol that could be an
alternative or complementary therapy to statins.
Scientists in the lab of David Ginsburg at the Life Sciences
Institute inhibited the action of a gene responsible for transporting a protein
that interferes with the ability of the liver to remove cholesterol from the
blood in mice. Trapping the destructive protein where it couldn't harm
receptors responsible for removing cholesterol preserved the liver cells'
capacity to clear plasma cholesterol from the blood, but did not appear to
otherwise affect the health of the mice.