Mutation found that cures heart disease

djf, with references

[djf]

In 1980, a man from a small town called Limone Sul Garda in northern Italy went to a doctor for some problem, not heart related.



Testing of his blood showed very high levels of triglycerides, and very low levels of HDL, the good form of cholesterol. By all rights, the man should have either been dead from, or in imminent danger of a heart attack.

But his arteries were clear.
Analysis of his blood showed he had a very special form of Lipoprotein, a type of HDL. And further work with this particular type of Lipoprotein revealed astounding results.

In some of the initial small scale tests of this form of HDL, volunteers were given one shot a week of it, for a trial that lasted five weeks.

Measurements of the blockage in their arteries showed that total blockage was reduced by 4% in five weeks. While this may not sound like much, to a cardiologist, it's equivalent to taking years off of your cardiac age.

Further testing and analysis with animals show fantastic results. While standard HDL's are desirable, this substance has been shown to for all intents and purposes, to completely reverse heart disease.

Various articles have referred to it as "Drano for the arteries".

Research is continuing with a slightly modified, bioengineered form and results are extremely promising.

The cholesterol (and yes, it is cholesterol) that is saving these people's lives is called ApoA-Milano.

And of the forty or fifty people in that tiny Italian town, all descended from a man born in 1760, a man who had a small change in his genes, not a single one has yet to die from heart disease!


http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/LSD-Milano-Bielicki.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-01-08-heart-disease-cover_x.htm
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/290/17/2292

There are 96 references on PubMed for apoa milano

[Appalled but Not Surprised]

E x a c t l y.

[SteveMcKing]

Exactly right. But how in the world do we go about correcting the germ line? Carrier screening helps, but that's limited to a small number of diseases, and not all couples are always willing to consider their risk of passing on a disease anyway.

I have always seen the birthing process as one obvious example. C-section has enabled the survival of infants from moms with narrow birth canals. Assuming that trait has some genetic basis, the procedure could become ever-more necessary over time... until we interevene - or more likely, the basket of bad traits reaches a breaking point and we all get sick at once!

[Appalled but Not Surprised]

As one of those who would have been "eliminated" 200 years ago... I take very deep exception.

[Mad Dawg]

There was a story on this a few years ago on PBD, I believe.

Here's my question: If I don't die from heart attack or stroke, then my chances of dying form cancer go up. Is this a good thing?

[orionblamblam]

This has *GOT* to be a lie, because all the Creationists keep telling me that mutations are all bad, and that mutations that help never happen.

And Creationists are never wrong.

[djf]

I suppose you will still die of something eventually. And actually, if I had my choice between years of agony from cancer where I knew I was dying, and a two minute heart attack that came unexpectedly (kinda like winning the lottery in reverse), I'd opt for the second.

My father died in his early 50's from a heart attack, when they found him he still had a cigarette between his fingers that had burned out. So it was pretty darn fast.

And I now am older than he was then.

[kublia khan]

It is sad that you cannot make a simple observation; as you did, without being attacked by a few people jumping to conclusions. I feel sorry for you.

[moonhawk]

I was wondering how they were going to cure President Laura, but as my brother pointed out, the prophecy says the one who leads humanity back to Earth is going to die....

[kublia khan]

Isn't it possible that those without the beneficial cholesterol are the result of a mutation? Perhaps this man is not a "hopeful monster" but a dinosaur that has outlived (figuratively speaking) his contemporaries.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Mutants live longer?

[metmom]

I've heard this before from friends and I have to agree, both with the statement that the gene pool is getting weakened as *bad* genes are allowed to be passed on and that it is not a popular statement. I'm one who would've been removed from the gene pool if it weren't for modern medicine and I take no offense at it. It's the truth.
Say, perhaps what this guy has ISN'T the mutation. Maybe the mutation is what everyone else has that causes the high LDL and cholesterol buildup and this is the original *good* genes that are either recessive or so rare that they only still show up in a few individuals. They might be looking at it backwards.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[goodnesswins]

Do you think Starfish was talking about "elmination?" I didn't think so.....merely stating that today we have wonderful medical help that leads to miraculous survivals....sheesh....I guess it's all in your attitude.

[Jon_Roland]

Mutation found that cures heart disease 2006/01/21 | Jon Roland Posted on 01/21/2006 9:10:52 PM PST by Jon_Roland This is not new, and has been a source of excitement among cardiologicsts and the geriatric set. I recall the initial news back in 1994. Part of the problem has been that the "large-particle HDL" is a natural substance, produced by the body, so presents problems for the drug companies in getting patent protection. That's why they're looking for a synthetic version. Of course, a better solution than injections would be to inject the mutated gene, perhaps carried by a virus, so that the patient begins producing his own. If done early in life, it should provide preventive protection. But there is another problem, which is suspected to be behind the drive by the Bush Administration for replacement of the Social Security system. Large-particle HDL threatens to extend lifespans by ten years or more and break the SS system. Not related to this thread, but visit http://www.constitution.org

[wildbill]

Yeah, but how do I get some now since I've got high blood pressure and bad cholesterol?

[djf]

Can't get it yet.

Best bet for now is eat alot of oatmeal and take your vitamin B3 (Niacin)

[bjcintennessee]

ping

[aruanan]

The cholesterol (and yes, it is cholesterol) that is saving these people's lives is called ApoA-Milano.

No, it's not cholesterol. ApoA is short for apolipoprotein A. It's a protein, not cholesterol. And neither HDL nor LDL are cholesterol, they are proteins that cause the formation of a type of particle that contains cholesterol. LDL particles are pretty big compared to HDL. The problem with LDL is that sometimes people have defective LDL receptors. Because of this, LDL accumulates in the bloodstream and becomes oxidized. Damaged LDL is eaten by foam cells which can then extravasate through the intimal lining of the aorta and other arteries and build up as plaque between the intimal lining and the muscle wall of the blood vessel. HDL helps to remove serum cholesterol.

[tubebender]

I hope something comes of this but in case it doesn't a earlier thread said that if I drown myself in hot Cocoa I can clean the gunk out of my arteries.

A friend of mine had a 5 way bypass 14 months ago. Ten days ago he had two stints implanted in his legs. Wednesday they checked his Carotid arteries and they are blocked and they may not be able to operate on them.

He also has diabetes now and he is only 35 years old :(

[TASMANIANRED]

We don't have it in our genes, He has it in his.