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Deleting a Protein Might Reduce Cardiovascular Disease

A new study by UConn Health researchers holds potential for treating heart disease, the leading cause of death in the US (Adobe Stock).

Deleting the TRPM2 protein from macrophages reduced atherosclerosis in mice. Macrophages travel through our arteries, gobbling fat. But fat-filled macrophages can narrow blood vessels and cause heart disease. Now, UConn Health researchers describe in Nature Cardiovascular Research how deleting a protein could prevent this and potentially prevent heart attacks and strokes in humans.

Macrophages are large white blood cells that cruise through our body as a kind of clean-up crew, clearing hazardous debris. But in people with atherosclerosis – fatty deposits and inflammation in their blood vessels – macrophages can cause trouble...

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