Gene + Wrong Foods = Heart Disease
 (WebMD, 12/31/03)

Studies have shown that mice that lack the 5-lipoxygenase gene tend not to develop atherosclerosis, so James H. Dwyer, PhD and fellow researchers at the University of Southern California and UCLA decided to examine whether this gene plays a role in human cardiac disease. The investigators tested 470 healthy adults and determined that 6% had a form of this gene that increases 5-lipoxygenase activity and thereby potentially causes immune system cells to build up on artery walls creating inflammation and cholesterol accumulations. The scientists found that, while people with the variant gene were prone to develop clogged arteries, they could offset this genetic tendency toward cardiac disease by avoiding aarachidonic acid (contained in meat fats) and consuming diets high in fish oils.