High antibody levels can reduce the risk of heart disease

Can strong immune system resist a heart attack? The research team of patients with high blood pressure found that for those patients with higher antibody levels, regardless of other risk factors, they have lower risk of heart attack. They recommended that a blood test which measures antibody levels would help to assess a person's risk of heart attack. The study found an antibody which is called IgG in blood in hypertensive patients can reduce the risk of heart attack. Some recombinant human proteins also can reduce certain heart disease.

The study from Imperial College London in the UK has been published in the journal EbioMedicine. It describes how the team found the link between blood immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody levels and the reduced risk of heart attack. Cardiology consultant physician and clinical researcher director Dr. Ramsay Khamis said, "It is a very exciting discovery that connecting a more stronger and powerful immune system to prevent a heart attack. At the same time, when giving a heart attack patient proper treatment, we have a new way to follow."

In their study, Dr. Khamis and his colleagues conducted a survey on patients with heart disease. The researchers analyzed the total IgG in the blood and another antibody which is called immunoglobulin M (IgM). They also examined oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or "bad" cholesterol in the blood LDL, which will promote antibody levels of atherosclerosis. The results showed that people with higher antibody levels were at lower risk of heart attack. The team was surprised to find that the strongest link of reducing the risk of heart attack was higher level of antibodies, and this is independent of other risk factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure.

This study focuses on the patients with hypertension. Previous studies also use recombinant dog proteins and recombinant horse proteins to conduct similar research. The research team now wants to find out whether there are links in other high-risk populations. The researchers pointed out that measuring blood IgG is relatively simple and inexpensive and yet to be further study. Their findings may show easier way for doctors to determine the patient's risk of heart attack. "We hope to protect humans from a heart trouble through improving the immune system." Some other recombinant proteins like recombinant Adam19 are offered by Cusabio.