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Tracy Hampton, PhD

JAMA. 2007;298:1152.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 134 words of the full text and any section headings.

Liver enzymes called proprotein convertases increase blood concentrations of "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in mice, according to studies led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, in Philadelphia (Jin W et al. Cell Metab. 2007;6[2]:129-136).

Specifically, the researchers found that treatments that partially block the activity of proprotein convertases decreased plasma HDL cholesterol levels. They also discovered that these enzymes act through another enzyme, endothelial lipase, which breaks down HDL cholesterol.

The group's future investigations will examine how much this newly discovered pathway is preserved in humans. The scientists will also look for ways to modify the pathway, which could hold therapeutic promise for reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. "This proteolytic cascade . . . suggests several novel targets for raising HDL cholesterol levels," the authors wrote.