High cholesterol does not lead to heart disease
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of cardiovascular diseases leading to death.
The theory that high cholesterol is the main risk factor for the development of strokes and heart attacks has existed for a long time and does not allow disputes between researchers to halt, one half of which support this hypothesis, and the second - refutes.
Despite the fact that an increased level of cholesterol in the blood is considered a dangerous symptom, some experts doubt the advisability of treating patients with statins - drugs that lower cholesterol.
Researchers at the University of California and their colleagues from other American institutions claim that in fact cholesterol precursors suppress inflammatory reactions in the body. A precursor is an auxiliary substance that participates in reactions leading to the creation of a target substance, that is, in this case, cholesterol. It is these precursors that can become a research goal for creating drugs designed to combat atherosclerosis, which annually leads to the death of thousands of people.
In the walls of the arteries are cells of the immune system, called macrophages. They are responsible for the detection and neutralization of foreign cells or substances that can be dangerous to the body.
As explained by the professor of the medical faculty of the University of California, Christopher Glass, these macrophages are able to effectively destroy excess cholesterol.
But some macrophages, instead of neutralizing excess cholesterol, themselves under its influence are transformed into xantomous macrophage cells.
These xanthomeric macrophage cells collect other immune cells and produce molecules that cause certain genes to trigger inflammatory responses.
For a long time it was believed that it was the appearance of these cells in the walls of the arteries that led to the accumulation of cholesterol and inflammatory processes.
But Glass and colleagues wanted to accurately trace this process and find out why individual macrophages can not perform their function. In the process of research, scientists made two unexpected discoveries.
"Firstly, xanthomous macrophage cells suppress the activity of genes that trigger inflammatory reactions in the body, although earlier we thought that everything was going the other way around," Professor Glass explained. - Secondly, we have identified a molecule that helps normal macrophages control the balance of cholesterol. When these molecules are sufficient, they destroy excess cholesterol and prevent the receipt of a new one. "
This molecule is desmosterol - the last precursor in the creation of cholesterol. Desmosterol is produced by cells and used as a structural component of their membranes. Researchers believe that atherosclerotic lesions disrupt the normal function of this molecule.
Now the new task of scientists is an in-depth study of desmosterol in order to find out the reasons why their normal activity is violated.
"Over the past 50 years, we have learned a lot. Perhaps now we are on the way to creating a new medicine that can control the balance of cholesterol without side effects, "Professor Glass hopes.
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