Abstract: Individuals with
Familial Hypertriglyceridemia (FHTG) have elevated levels of
triglycerides and normal total cholesterol. FHTG affects about 1% of
the US population and is one of the most common genetic lipid
disorders in patients with coronary artery disease. FHTG is thought
to segregate as an autosomal dominant disorder but the single
segregation analysis has not been conclusively replicated. The
long-term objective of this proposal is to identify gene(s) that
predispose individuals to FHTG using family-based linkage analysis
and determine how elevated levels of serum triglycerides and lipids
predispose these individuals to atherosclerosis. We plan to
accomplish the objective by pursuing the following two specific
aims:
- Identify families with FHTG. We will identify probands
through the statewide CARDIAC program and through a network of
health clinics
- Identify FHTC susceptibility loci by linkage analysis on a
genome-wide set of markers and on a small set of previously
identified FHTG candidate loci. We will use linkage analysis
methods to determine which loci contribute to FHTG in patients
from the WV population and test for linkage and association with
single
The proposed work is innovative because we have access to
patients in West Virginia who have not been studied. Our findings
will be significant because they will further our understanding of
the pathogenesis of vascular disease and because these
susceptibility genes represent new targets for preventative and
therapeutic interventions. View PowerPoint slideshow:
ACoRN - Statins as protective agents for aortic endothelial cells
(R. Kreisberg) |
