On Mar. 24, 2021, scientists from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis announced they had identified a gene that likely plays a causal role in coronary artery disease independent of cholesterol levels. The gene also likely has roles in related cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure and diabetes. The study appeared in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Studying mice and genetic data from people, the researchers found that the gene — called SVEP1 — makes a protein that drives the development of plaque in the arteries. In mice, animals missing one copy of SVEP1 had less plaque in the arteries than mice with both copies. The researchers also selectively reduced the protein in the arterial walls of mice, and this further reduced the risk of atherosclerosis.

Evaluating human genetic data, the researchers found that genetic variation influencing the levels of this protein in the body correlated with the risk of developing plaque in the arteries. Genetically determined high levels of the protein meant higher risk of plaque development and vice versa. Similarly, they found higher levels of the protein correlated with higher risk of diabetes and higher blood pressure readings.