Research shows links between genes and heart problems
Monday, 23 January 2012 08:42
New research conducted in San Francisco has suggested that the failure of a specific gene to 'turn off' in the process of embryo development could lead to heart problems, such as cardiomyopathy, later in life.
Scientists experimented by allowing a gene known as 'Six1' to go on working longer than usual on an embryo. The result was that, although the mice were born without any obvious health defects, they later developed cardiomyopathy, an enlargement and weakening of the heart which can cause major health risks to adults and children.
'Six1' is usually prevented from working for a long period of time by the action of another gene, known as 'Ezh2'. It is believed that 'Ezh2' may fail to work for a number of reasons, including dietary, medical or environmental factors, which put people at risk of heart failure in later life.
The conclusions of the research, conducted by Dr Paul Delgado-Olguin and his team at the Gladstone Institute, San Francisco, reinforce beliefs that the mother's health and diet when pregnant has a big affect on a child's later life and health. There is also hope that technology could be developed to prevent the genetic 'switch' in the future to decrease the likelihood of heart conditions.
Professor Weissberg from the British Heart Foundation said: "What this shows is that a really crucial step in normal heart development is the switching off of genes. If this doesn't happen, and they continue to be expressed, this can cause trouble later in life".
Read the full story on the BBC website.