deCODE Genetics Finds New Gene Variant for Heart Attacks

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted May 4, 2007 in DNA and Disease

deCODE Genetics has done it again. Last month, together with DNA Direct, they released a direct-to-consumer genetic test for diabetes risk and announced that they’d found more genes for diabetes. Today, deCODE released results showing an association between a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs10757278, on chromosome 9p21 and greater risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease. The results have been confirmed by another study indicating that there must be a susceptibilty gene in that region.

Two tumor suppressor genes, CDKN2A and CDKN2B, lie near the SNP. These genes are involved in the pathways that lead to atherosclerosis - plaque build-up in heart vessel walls that often lead to heart attacks. deCODE plans to market a genetic test for this particular variant as well as other variants for heart disease. It could be particularly helpful for determining prevention and treatment strategies for patients who have pre-existing risk factors such as a positive family history of cardiovascular disease. And, eventually, we will have personalized medicine that takes into account a person’s specific genetic profile, including genes involved in heart disease.

But the utility of DNA testing at this stage is still up for debate. I’m sure Steve at The Gene Sherpa would agree with Tim Chico of the University of Sheffield:

This is very interesting scientifically, but it won’t change the way patients are investigated or treated at the moment.

We must not forget that 90 per cent of the risk of a heart attack comes from things like smoking, cholesterol, diet, lack of exercise and diabetes.

Whatever our genetic make-up, we can all reduce our chances of heart disease by improving our lifestyle.

Tags: genetics, genes, genome, genomics, personalized medicine, dna, decode genetics, chromsome 9, heart disease, heart attack, heart, diseases, illness, health, medicine

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8 Comments »

Pingback by Genetic Genealogy in Iceland

2007-05-04 14:00:35

[...] can read more about this latest discovery at the New York Times, and at Eye on DNA, an interesting and educational blog that follows all the latest developments in genetics. Whenever [...]

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Comment by Steve Murphy MD

2007-05-04 17:28:14

Thanks for the thoughts. Yes, it is true. There is much more work to do on this Loci. We still have to evaluate things. There are more than 40 genes on or near 9q21 listed in OMIM.
-Steve
http://www.thegenesherpa.blogspot.com

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Pingback by Genetics Sliced and Diced into Lists of Five — Eye on DNA

2007-05-08 18:45:28

[...] Epigenetics News has the 14th issue of Mendel’s Garden up. And not counting my own entry from Eye on DNA, there are five posts! Happy reading, thinking, and [...]

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Pingback by Clarification on Working for DNA Direct — Eye on DNA

2007-05-17 10:50:11

[...] Larry Moran of Sandwalk emailed to ask why I never told anyone I was employed by DNA Direct when I wrote about them in the past. For one thing, I only signed the contract with DNA Direct on Tuesday, May 15, 2007. As [...]

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Comment by Suicyte

2007-06-04 00:31:44

I have somehow missed this post. I am currently discussing the 9p21 region in a mini-series on my blog Suicyte Notes. I will add a link here in the next part of the series, due Wednesday.

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Pingback by Soul searching (III) « Suicyte Notes

2007-06-05 23:35:08

[...] have mentioned this earlier, but I have missed two interesting blog postings on this subject [1,2], found at “Eye on [...]

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Pingback by Eye on DNA Links - June 7, 2007 — Eye on DNA

2007-06-07 10:34:15

[...] Notes is Soul searching for genes associated with coronary heart disease and type 2 [...]

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Comment by About DNA

2008-07-19 19:50:31

nice Article, you thing dna is going to be the next frontier?

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