一种新的前景光明的治疗动脉粥样硬化的方法有望在今年晚些时候进入临床试验阶段
A mutant gene discovered in the 1980s in family members from a small town in Italy may lead to major changes in the prevention and treatment of clogged arteries that lead to heart attacks and strokes. Small human studies using the unique protein produced by this gene are expected to begin during the second or third quarter of this year, according to researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Members of a family from Limone, Italy, have been virtually immune to cholesterol-related heart problems and strokes, even if they engage in lifestyle practices such as smoking and overeating that normally lead to increased risk. Scientists at the University of Milan identified the gene prevalent in members of this family, referred to as apolipoprotein A-1 Milano (apoA-1 Milano), in the 1980s, but the role of this gene in protecting arterial walls from plaque buildup was not known until a few years ago. In 1992, a team from Cedars-Sinai began studying the protein produced by apoA-1 Milano; over the past six years, they have succeeded in demonstrating that apoA-1 Milano is extremely potent in reducing plaque buildup in the arteries of mice and rabbits. The gene’s discoverers and the Cedars-Sinai team are now collaborating with Esperion Therapeutics in an attempt to bring apoA-1 Milano (ESP-24217) into phase I testing later this year. Because the protein appears to actually remove "bad" cholesterol, even from sites on arteries where plaque has accumulated, the need for such invasive procedures as angioplasty and bypass surgery could someday be virtually eliminated --assuming similar benefits are seen in human studies. And because apoA-1 Milano treats the entire circulatory system, it may be useful in repairing diseased vessels that currently cannot be reached by invasive techniques., http://www.100md.com