Extra calcium may raise health risks in older women

New Cholesterol Genes found are potentially attractive drug targets

DanyC submitted, created time 11 months 3 weeks (www.webmd.com)

Two of the newly identified genes only affect HDL cholesterol, one only affects LDL cholesterol, three only affect triglycerides, and one affects LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. it may be possible to tailor cholesterol and triglyceride treatments to patients

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: Cholesterol drugs drugs drug targets drug discovery HDL homeostasis cholesterol LDL

Structural and biophysical studies of PCSK9 and its mutants linked to familial hypercholesterolemia

diggman submitted, created time 1 year 8 months (www.nature.com)

Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) lowers the abundance of surface low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor through an undefined mechanism. The structure of human PCSK9 shows the subtilisin-like catalytic site blocked by the prodomain in a noncovalent complex and inaccessible to exogenous ligands, and that the C-terminal domain has a novel fold. Biosensor studies show that PCSK9 binds the extracellular domain of LDL receptor with K d = 170 nM at the neutral pH of plasma, but with a K d as low as 1 nM at the acidic pH of endosomes

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin t LDL hypercholesterolemia