New study identifies key gene responsible for coronary heart disease and heart attack

A major new study has identified the most critical genes responsible for coronary heart disease and triggering heart attacks

The study, conducted by a team at the Victor Chang Heart Institute, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, and elsewhere in Europe and the United States, is published in the journal Circulation: Genomes and Precision Medicine

The findings open up a whole new field of targeted therapy for people at risk for coronary heart disease

Executive Director of the Victor Chang Heart Institute, Professor Jason Kovacic, lead author of the paper, said the study achieved three major breakthroughs, all of which are critical in the fight against heart disease

"First, we've now more precisely defined the precise genes that may contribute to coronary heart disease

The third major achievement was the prioritization of 162 genes for causing coronary heart disease

"Some of the most important genes identified on this list have never really been studied before in the context of a heart attack

600 patients with coronary heart disease and 150 patients without coronary heart disease participated in the study

Professor Kovacs hopes the discovery will spur research in the field and will lead to a whole new area of ​​critical work related to heart attack

Prof Kovacic said: "This knowledge will allow us to look at these very important genes that cause heart attacks, as we now know just how highly-deserving them directly dig deeper into understanding how they cause coronary heart disease and whether they may be promising for patients.

"Another important aspect of this study is that a major gene that we had previously suspected - PHACTR1 - turned out to be one of the two major genes responsible for coronary heart disease

"However, even though it may be the single most important gene for vascular disease, scientists around the world know very little about how PHACTR1 works, and we're determined to address this question

Another benefit for patients could be improved genetic testing

“Currently, we have to do genetic testing of people at risk for coronary heart disease, and they are testing hundreds if not thousands of genes

"This refined and prioritized list of genes we've published in this study could lead to more precise genetic testing, a better understanding of the causes of heart attacks, and the development of targeted therapies for the many new genetic targets we've discovered.

"As a cardiologist, this is very exciting and could ultimately have a huge impact on the lives of my patients

"We are particularly grateful to NSW Health and the Bourne Foundation for their support of this ongoing research," Professor Kovacs said
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