New pathway discovered in cellular cholesterol regulation

Researchers at two laboratories at NYU Langone Medical Center have collaborated to identify a tiny micro-RNA, miR-33, that regulates key genes involved in cellular cholesterol transport. The study, published online May 13, 2010 in Science, found that inhibitors of miR-33 may be beneficial because they could enhance cholesterol removal from tissues and raise levels of HDL -- shown in clinical trials to promote regression of human atherosclerotic plaques. This discovery could lead to the development of new treatments for atherosclerosis that would eliminate cholesterol accumulation in the artery wall.

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