The Troll's Heart
Icelanders have found a gene of exceptional health
In the DNA of the inhabitants of Iceland, a mutation of the ASGR1 gene was found, the presence of which reduces the risk of heart disease by more than 34%. A team of DeCODE researchers compared the genomes of thousands of Icelanders and compared the results of the analysis with information from medical records.
The genome of 2,600 people has been completely deciphered, and almost the entire population of the inhabitants of Iceland has been checked for the presence of the ASGR1 mutation – and this is more than 300 thousand people.
This mutation occurs in 1 out of 120 inhabitants of the island. These people have significantly reduced levels of high-density lipoproteins. How the gene works is still unclear: it is only known that it "turns off" a number of proteins that ensure the processing of proteins containing a lot of sugar residues.
Note that drugs that mimic the effect of mutated ASGR1 have been developed for about 10 years. The first among them were PCSK9 protein inhibitors. When scientists determine which proteins are affected by the Icelandic mutation, they will be able to develop drugs of a similar effect.
Article by Nioi et al. Variant ASGR1 Associated with a Reduced Risk of Coronary Artery Disease is published in the New England Journal of Medicine – VM).
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru
20.05.2016