Cholesterol and heart disease risk could be lowered with a single injection

A one-off injection could one day lower your cholesterol levels for the rest of your life.

People born with natural mutations that disable a specific gene have a lower risk of heart disease, with no apparent side effects. Now a single injection has successfully disabled this same gene in animal tests for the first time.

This potential treatment would involve permanently altering the DNA inside some of the cells of a person’s body [with CRISPR], so doctors will have to be sure it is safe before trying it in people. But the benefits could be enormous. In theory, it could help millions live longer and healthier lives.

…

In 2005, it was discovered that a few people naturally have very low cholesterol levels, thanks to mutations that prevent their livers from making a protein called PCSK9…To mimic this effect, two companies have developed approved antibodies that remove the PCSK9 protein from the blood.

Related on the SLP

One shot to lower risk of heart attacks? Early-stage CRISPR therapy safely cut “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides by more than 50% patients Why elephants almost never get cancer–and why that might save human lives

Astrology, homeopathy, vaccine rejectionism, creationism: Why pseudoscience thrives as science advances

Viewpoint: After firing the entire National Science Board, Trump reshapes funding initiatives. Here’s the good and the bad.

Energy-sucking data centers are unpopular across the political spectrum. Could moving them into space change the equation?

…

The big worry about using gene editing to alter DNA inside the body is that it could also cause unintended “off-target” mutations. In the worst case, these could turn cells cancerous.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Injection could permanently lower cholesterol by changing DNA