Washington, Mar 17 (ANI): A new study from the University of Pennsylvania has shown that high levels of HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), also known as good cholesterol, could be tied to genetic mutations.

Individuals with high plasma HDL-C levels have a decreased risk of developing coronary artery disease.

Lead researcher Daniel Rader has identified a gene called LIPG, which when mutated result in high plasma HDL-C levels.

During the study, the researchers looked at 585 subjects of European ancestry, and identified 10 people with previously unreported rare mutated forms of this gene that were unique to subjects with very high HDL-C levels

Further analysis revealed that mutations in the LIPG gene that cause loss of endothelial lipase activity were the cause of increased plasma HDL-C levels.

These data provide important human genetic evidence that inhibition of endothelial lipase is likely to raise HDL-C levels in humans. (ANI)