Mice that lack a protein made by the PCSK9 gene have only half the “bad” cholesterol of normal mice, which researchers say may lead to new drugs for humans.
Researchers at the University of Texas said they deleted the PCSK9 gene in the test mouse group and found the resulting levels of low-density lipoprotein were half that of mice that still had the cholesterol-regulating protein.
The gene is found in mice and humans whose risk of a heart attack or stroke increases when LDL, or bad cholesterol, is high.
Nearly 25 million people worldwide take a class of drugs called statins to lower their cholesterol levels. Researchers say this study may lead to new drugs.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, builds on previous research by the university’s Southwestern Medical Center that found humans with mutated PCSK9 genes have 40 percent lower LDL cholesterol levels.