2006 - Institut für Klinische Chemie - UniversitätsSpital Zürich

Universität Zürich > Medizinische Fakultät > Klinische Chemie, Institut für > Prof. Dr.
Arnold von Eckardstein
Atherosclerosis and Genetics of the Lipoxygenase Pathways
Summary / Zusammenfassung
Atherosclerosis is the pathogenetic process leading to myocardial infarction and stroke and still is
the leading cause of death in Western civilisation. Chronic inflammation plays a major role in
atherogenesis and understanding the role of inflammation and its resolution will offer novel
approaches to interfere with atherogenesis. The lipoxygenase pathway plays a role in inflammation
and in its resolution and functional polymorphisms in these genes will eventually alter the balance
between pro- and anti-inflammation. We screen these genes for polymorphisms in the Caucasian
population, investigate the functionality of such newly discovered polymorphisms in cell culture
and investigate their association with atherosclerosis in patients with coronary artery disease. Such
an approach allows studying the pro- or anti-atherogenic role of a certain enzyme independent of
exogenous factors and in vitro conditions.
Publications / Publikationen
J. Wittwer, M. Bayer, A. Mosandl, J. Muntwyler and M. Hersberger. The c.-292C>T promoter
polymorphism increases ALOX15 activity and could be atheroprotective. In press Clin Chem Lab
Med 2007.
J. Wittwer, J. Marti-Jaun and M. Hersberger. A Functional Polymorphism in ALOX15 Results in
Increased Allele-Specific Transcription in Macrophages Through Binding of the Transcription
Factor SPI1. Hum Mutat. 2006 Jan;27(1):78-87.
J. Muntwyler, J. Marti-Jaun, TF. Lüscher, E. Hänseler and M. Hersberger. The Asp298 but not the
C-786 genotype of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase is reduced with age in healthy Swiss men.
Clin Chem Lab Med 2005;43(9):971–973
M. Hersberger, J. Muntwyler, H. Funke, J. Marti-Jaun, H. Schulte, G. Assmann, TF. Lüscher and
A von Eckardstein. Association of the CAG Repeat Polymorphism in the Androgen Receptor with
HDL Cholesterol but not with Coronary Atherosclerosis or Myocardial Infarction. Clin Chem
2005; 51: 1110-1115.
J. Muntwyler, J. Marti-Jaun, T.F. Lüscher, E. Hänseler and M. Hersberger. No evidence for an
involvement of the human inducible nitric oxide synthase gene in susceptibility to coronary artery
disease. Clin Chem Lab Med 2005;43(2):253-255.
Keywords / Suchbegriffe
Atherosclerosis, lipoxygenases, risk factors, gene regulation, genetics, polymorphisms
Project Leadership and Contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte
PD Dr. Martin Hersberger (Project Leader) hmr@ikc.uzh.ch
Funding Source(s) / Unterstützt durch
SNF (Personen- und Projektförderung)
OPO Stiftung, Olga Mayenfisch Stiftung
Project 6198
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