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In a UCL-led study, published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, an international consortium of over 180 scientists report the identification of 21 new gene variants associated with cholesterol predictors of heart disease and metabolic disorders. The findings expand the list of potential targets for drugs and other treatments for lipid-related cardiovascular disease, a leading global cause of death and disability. The International IBC Lipid Genetics Consortium analysed genetic data from over 90,000 individuals of European ancestry, covering approximately 50,000 DNA markers across 2,000 genes implicated in cardiovascular disease. This study identified 21 novel genes associated with levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL, or "bad cholesterol"), high-density lipoproteins (HDL, "good cholesterol"), total cholesterol (TC), and triglycerides (TG), as well as verifying 49 previously known signals. The researchers also found that some of the strongest signals appeared to have gender-specific effects and a more complex genetic architecture than previously thought. Fotios Drenos, UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, and Brendan Keating of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, are senior authors of the current study. Drenos said: "While each of the genetic variants has a small effect on the specific lipid trait, their cumulative effect can significantly add up to put people at risk for disease.
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