Protein ‘may fight effects of cholesterol drugs’
Cholesterol-lowering drugs taken by millions of people may sometimes not work effectively because of a protein secreted by fat tissue, say scientists.
Statins reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein, the “bad” form of cholesterol linked to heart disease. But up to 40 per cent of those taking them are resistant to their effects, according to the authors of the new research.
The reason may be a fat-generated protein called resistin, scientists believe.
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Hide AdIt not only causes high levels of LDL, but also counteracts the beneficial effects of statins.
Lead researcher Dr Shirya Rashid, from McMaster University in Canada, said: “The bigger implication of our results is that high blood resistin levels may be the cause of the inability of statins to lower patients’ LDL cholesterol levels.”