Cholesterol-Lowering Statins Work Differently Because Of Proteins

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs work differently for everyone. New research suggests that people are genetically different in producing HMGCR protein.

Many people worldwide are now using statin drugs, because lowering 'bad' cholesterol cuts the risk for heart attack and stroke. However, not all people respond to statins the same way and researchers are now trying to understand why the differences occur.

A team of researchers from Children's Hospital Oakland Research Center in Oakland, California examined cells taken from 200 cholesterol study participants. The cells were monitored in laboratory for HMGCR production process.

HMGCR is a protein responsible for LDL 'bad' cholesterol production. Statin drugs, such as the most famous Crestor, Lipitor, Pravachol, and Zocor, are aimed at lowering LDL. Differences in ways how HMGCR produces LDL lead to differences in ways statins affect cholesterol.

Protein elements - exons - get spliced together and produce active protein. In this process statins tie with selected exons to block LDL production and here comes the difference of how statin works. Depending on how HMGCR elements are spliced, statins can be successful or not in blocking 'bad' cholesterol production.

Researchers reported that 9% of cases with unsuccessful cholesterol lowering results occurred because of HMGCR case in the study, and the results were the same for both whites and blacks. However, researchers mention that testing people for HMGCR and deciding how statins will work is not right, because there are other reasons as well for the drug to work differently. Researchers urge the need of further research to find more reasons and to make it possible to test people for cholesterol-lowering drug response before prescribing any.