High-fat diet and lack of enzyme can lead to heart disease in mice
Monday, September 12, 2011 - 15:31
in Biology & Nature
It's no secret that a high-fat diet isn't healthy. Now researchers have discovered a molecular clue as to precisely why that is. Mice lacking a gene-expression-controlling enzyme fed a high-fat diet experience rapid thickening of the heart muscle and heart failure. This link -- at least in mice -- has implications for people on so-called Western diets and combating heart disease. Modulating the enzyme's activity could be a new pharmaceutical target.