November 18, 2014

expert reaction to identification of membrane protein alteration and cardiovascular disease

A paper published in the International Union of Crystallography journal has reported an association between heart disease and a mutation in a cell membrane protein.

Dr Tim Chico, Reader in Cardiovascular Medicine and consultant cardiologist, University of Sheffield, said:

“All research is potentially useful, but it is important not to exaggerate the implications of this discovery. The mutation studied in this paper causes only a tiny proportion of heart disease, and I am not aware of it contributing to heart attack or stroke at all. Rather, it predisposes patients to abnormal, and potentially fatal heart rhythm problems. This is clearly an important area to study, but thankfully such genetic conditions are far rarer than heart attack and stroke, which kills far, far more people in the UK and worldwide. We do already have powerful ways to reduce the risk of heart disease; exercise, weight control and a healthy diet will all greatly reduce someone’s risk of suffering stroke and heart attack.”

‘Structural insights into the human RyR2 N-terminal region involved in cardiac arrhythmias’ by Tony Lai et al. will be published in International Union of Crystallography on Tuesday 18 November 2014.  

Declared interests

None declared