Genetics and Atherosclerosis

Abstract

Evidence that genetic factors contribute to the development of atherosclerosis is not new (Adlersberg et al., 1949; Gertler and White, 1954; Thomas and Cohen, 1955; Russek and Zohman, 1958; Adlersberg and Schaefer, 1959; Shanoff et al., 1961; Rose, 1964; Walker, 1964; Slack and Evans, 1966; Suri et al., 1966). All writers on atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease usually refer to the role of heredity as an important etiologic factor, but hard data on the nature of the heredity unfortunately are lacking. Medical geneticists and public health specialists are attracted to genetic studies of atherosclerosis since genetically defined subpopulations at significantly higher risk might exist and elucidation of the pathophysiology of the defective metabolism could lead to possible prevention of premature coronary heart disease. The potential pay-off of genetic strategies in atherosclerosis research, therefore, is high.

This investigation was supported in part by NIH Grant GM 15253 and by a Public Health Service International Research Fellowship (1 F05 TWO 1905-2) to H.B.