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A gene that influences the blood levels of triglycerides has been discovered. Triglycerides are the chemical form in which most fats exist in food as well as in the body. They are also present in blood plasma, which along with cholesterol, form plasma lipids. High levels of triglycerides in plasma are a major risk factor for heart disease.

Researchers found the new gene, APOA5, by comparing mouse DNA with human DNA. To learn more about how APOA5 affects triglyceride levels, the researchers first studied mice that were genetically engineered to contain an overly active APOA5 gene. These mice had triglyceride levels, which were nearly 75 percent lower than mice with the unaltered gene.

When another group of mice were genetically engineered without the APOA5 gene, their triglyceride levels rose four times above normal levels. In another part of the investigation, the researchers evaluated levels of a wide variety of blood components, including triglycerides, in 500 men and women.

People who had less common versions of the gene were found to have triglyceride levels, which were 25 percent higher than those with the more common form of the APOA5 gene. Approximately one in five people carry the variant form of APOA5, according to Science (October 5, 2001;294:169-173).