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LDLR: Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor

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LDLR is known otherwise as the low-density lipoprotein receptor. Genes in the LDLR instruct for making the proteins. The LDLR is responsible for delivering cholesterol lipoprotein particles into cells (Leitersdorf & Coetzee, 1984). Lipoprotein particles are bound at the cell surfaces by the receptors, and released in the endosome at low-pH. The LDLR is not only responsible for delivering but also for removing the lipoprotein particles from the bloodstream to inhibit their over accumulation (Leitersdorf & Coetzee, 1984). Mutations in the LDLR affect the healthiness of an individual. Familial hypercholesterolemia is an autosomal dominant disease that is caused by mutations in the LDLR gene encoding. Osteoporosis another major health problem is …show more content…

FH can either be homozygous or heterozygous, homozygous being more rigorously affected than heterozygous. Heterozygotes have a plasma LDL concentration that is double that of normal individuals, thus increasing the risk of coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis is the accumulation of white blood cells in the artery walls, thickening it over time. Individuals with two defective copies develop this disease at an early age which usually leads to death. It is always thought that FH is caused by the mutations of the LDL receptor proteins. There are currently more than 800 different mutations for the LDLR that cause FH (Soutar & Naoumova, 2007). The most common types of mutations are premature stop codons, mutations in the promoter and pre-mRNA, and amino acid substitutions. Individuals with autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia have the same phenotype as the homozygous FH, but the conditions are not as extreme because of the cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. Treatment results show better results with lipid-lowering drugs. Some studies show that unaffected individuals and heterozygous individuals how no significant difference (Soutar & Naoumova, 2007). High cholesterol from birth will lead to vascular diseases and hardening of the

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