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Clue found as to why small babies have increased risk of heart disease as adults
August 14, 2003The reason why small babies have an increased risk of heart disease as adults may lie in abnormal parental gene transfer, suggests preliminary research in the Journal of Medical Genetics.
The researchers studied almost 500 babies born after 24 weeks of pregnancy whose weight was below what would be expected for their developmental stage and gender. All the babies were born at one centre between 1998 and 2000.
Genetic material was extracted from blood samples taken from mothers and babies, and from mouth swabs taken from the fathers. The researchers tested for the presence of the APOE gene in 440 mother and baby pairs and 194 fathers.
The APOE gene encodes for the protein component of the fat and protein complexes found in blood plasma. It comes in three varieties (℮2, ℮3, and ℮4 alleles). APOE is involved in various immune processes, control of cell growth, and brain development.
Animal studies have shown that deficient APOE expression increases susceptibility to narrowing and hardening of the arteries; when the gene is ‘overexpressed’, it exerts anti-inflammatory effects and protects against furring up of the arteries.
When the researchers looked at APOE variants in the DNA samples, they found that the parental transmission of ℮2 was significantly reduced in the small babies; ℮3 was passed on marginally more than would be expected, while ℮4 conformed to expectations.
Overall, these patterns were not what would have been expected when taking into account race, gender, smoking history of the mother, and birthweight and other pregnancy complications.
On the basis of their results, the authors speculate that ℮2 is the critical variant of the APOE gene, and that it seems to protect against low birthweight (intrauterine growth restriction). Given that it is transmitted less frequently to small babies, and given that small babies are more prone to cardiovascular disease as adults, the ℮2 allele could be the missing link in the puzzle, the authors suggest.
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
The APOE gene encodes for the protein component of the fat and protein complexes found in blood plasma. It comes in three varieties (℮2, ℮3, and ℮4 alleles). APOE is involved in various immune processes, control of cell growth, and brain development.
Animal studies have shown that deficient APOE expression increases susceptibility to narrowing and hardening of the arteries; when the gene is ‘overexpressed’, it exerts anti-inflammatory effects and protects against furring up of the arteries.
When the researchers looked at APOE variants in the DNA samples, they found that the parental transmission of ℮2 was significantly reduced in the small babies; ℮3 was passed on marginally more than would be expected, while ℮4 conformed to expectations.
Overall, these patterns were not what would have been expected when taking into account race, gender, smoking history of the mother, and birthweight and other pregnancy complications.
On the basis of their results, the authors speculate that ℮2 is the critical variant of the APOE gene, and that it seems to protect against low birthweight (intrauterine growth restriction). Given that it is transmitted less frequently to small babies, and given that small babies are more prone to cardiovascular disease as adults, the ℮2 allele could be the missing link in the puzzle, the authors suggest.
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Heart Disease Current Events and Heart Disease News RSSMultiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive
A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are deficient in it, spurred research and even led to an appreciation of it as "nature's antibiotic."
Carvedilol shown to have unique characteristics among beta blockers
In a new study, researchers report that a class of heart medications called beta-blockers can have a helpful, or harmful, effect on the heart, depending on their molecular activity.
ESC to give talks on Diabetes in three cities in China
As a result of successful events organised last year, a second Joint Scientific Forum, organised by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), two of the most respected professional medical organisations in Europe, will be held from 27-29 November at three venues across China - Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Saving the single cysteine: new antioxidant system found
We've all read studies about the health benefits of having a life partner. The same thing is true at the molecular level, where amino acids known as cysteines are much more vulnerable to damage when single than when paired up with other cysteines.
Drug for erectile dysfunction improves heart function in young heart-disease patients
Heart function significantly improved in children and young adults with single-ventricle congenital heart disease who have had the Fontan operation following treatment with sildenafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, say researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Study raises concerns about outdoor second-hand smoke
Indoor smoking bans have forced smokers at bars and restaurants onto outdoor patios, but a new University of Georgia study in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that these outdoor smoking areas might be creating a new health hazard.
Night Beat, Overtime and a Disrupted Sleep Pattern Can Harm Officers' Health
A police officer who works the night shift, typically from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., already is at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a good "night's" sleep.
Your Own Stem Cells Can Treat Heart Disease
The largest national stem cell study for heart disease showed the first evidence that transplanting a potent form of adult stem cells into the heart muscle of subjects with severe angina results in less pain and an improved ability to walk. The transplant subjects also experienced fewer deaths than those who didn't receive stem cells.
Vitamin B niacin offers no extra benefit to statin therapy in seniors already diagnosed with CAD
The routine prescription of extended-release niacin, a B vitamin (1,500 milligrams daily), in combination with traditional cholesterol-lowering therapy offers no extra benefit in correcting arterial narrowing and diminishing plaque buildup in seniors who already have coronary artery disease, a new vascular imaging study from Johns Hopkins experts shows.
Heart and bone damage from low vitamin D tied to declines in sex hormones
Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the first conclusive evidence in men that the long-term ill effects of vitamin D deficiency are amplified by lower levels of the key sex hormone estrogen, but not testosterone.
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