Researchers at UT Southwestern have identified a newly discovered protein called HELZ2 that plays a major role in controlling cholesterol production in the liver. Scientists found that HELZ2 acts like a “master switch” by suppressing the genetic instructions needed to make apoB, a key component of cholesterol-carrying particles linked to artery blockage and heart disease.
By reducing apoB production, the liver may release fewer harmful cholesterol particles into the bloodstream, potentially lowering cardiovascular risk.
The discovery could open the door to a new class of cholesterol-lowering treatments aimed at preventing heart disease more effectively and with greater precision in the future.
Read more at ScienceDaily
