( Researchers led by Duke University Medi...)Gene variants hold clues about vulnerability to cardiovascular disease,Health

Researchers led by Duke University Medical Center scientists have discovered that alterations in a gene that triggers other genes may hold clues to the reasons why// certain people are vulnerable to heart disease. This gene termed, as GATA2 and the army of genes it manipulates may actually show an individual’s propensity to coronary artery disease. This finding may also show the way for the invention of genetic tests that can forecast an individual’s likelihood of developing coronary artery disease, the scientists said.

"We hope that one day it will be possible to use these gene variations to predict who is susceptible to cardiovascular disease," said Jessica J. Connelly, a postdoctoral fellow at the Duke Center for Human Genetics and lead author on the study. "This finding is the first step before we can develop such a test for use in patients."

People who know they are at higher risk may be encouraged to take early steps to modify behaviors, such as smoking or consuming foods high in saturated fats, that are known to play a role in promoting heart disease, the scientists said.

The team reports its findings in the August 2006 issue of Public Library of Science (PLoS) Genetics. The research was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.

Coronary artery disease affects more than 13 million Americans and is one of the nation's leading causes of death. The disease occurs when the arteries supplying blood to the heart become narrowed or clogged by plaque deposits. Left untreated, the disease can completely block the blood flow to the heart, leading to a heart attack.

Coronary artery disease is what scientists call a "complex" genetic disease – that is, it results from the accumulation of a number of small genetic changes that influence an individual's ability to cope with environmental and biological effects. While risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are known to contri
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