Statin effect with genetic mutations

Scientists study the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Institute said, the immune system may be the human bat against Ebola virus mystery. The origin of Ebola virus is still to be determined, but most scientists believe that the Africa fruit bat may be one of its origin. The Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Institute (CSIRO)Dr. Michel Beck said, bats, contained a large number of Ebora virus, they will not therefore appear symptoms of illness. This is because they can start the immune system in the virus before the attack, let the system of extra work to defend against viruses.

Dr. Beck said, the human problem is to the human body, the activated immune system in viral invasion, but then it was too late. The Ebola infringement has too serious, the immune system has been unable to resist. She said, another problem is, the bat can overload tolerance of its immune system, but humans cannot. Once the immune system to resist the virus and the height of reactor, which bring the human body harm. In fact, the emergence of the Ebola virus in patients with fever, in vivo or in vitro, bleeding and other symptoms are immune system overreaction consequences.

Dr. Beck said, although now know bats can resist the Ebola virus, but how to make the human immune system can bat as continuous height operation but do not bring any side effects is still a long way to go. Scientists now believe that the Ebola virus is transmitted to primates by African fruit bats, and then spread to humans, because many parts of West Africa have lived by hunting primate animals.

A research report published in the Journal of Nature Communications, scientists from the Queen's University in London, 40000 patients by statin treatment with large analysis study identified two new genetic mutations. These two kinds of genetic mutation can affect the body bad cholesterol on statin therapy response.

Statins are widely used in clinic for drugs that reduce bad cholesterol, the bad cholesterol levels were reduced to 55%, which can effectively reduce the risk of heart disease. Different reactions in patients on statins are not the same. Researchers in this study to analyze the clinical data of 6 groups of random and 10 groups of observational studies to find the effect of patients with genetic mutations on statin response, the researchers found 2 common genetic mutation, the genetic mutation can significantly affect the statin treatment patients body bad cholesterol levels.

Said Professor Mark Caulfield, this study can help us understand the molecular mechanism of genetic mutations affecting the patient response to statin therapy. We found that individual differences in response to statins, 4 related genetic mutations produce effect only accounted for 5%, of which one have identified genetic mutations can enhance the individual reaction on statins, and second mutation can help the liver uptake of statins, reducing drug reaction.

At present, statins are the most effective and safe clinical medication. Although the use of the same target, in different populations of some statins more effectively, this paper demonstrates the mutual influence of gene network may reaction effect of statins on the body. The future may help scientists choose statin drugs more effective for different patients.