New way of fighting high cholesterol upends assumptions

New way of fighting high cholesterol upends assumptions: Atherosclerosis has been presumed to be the consequence of complicated interactions between overabundant cholesterol and resulting inflammation in the heart and blood vessels. Researchers now say the relationship is not exactly what it appears, and that a precursor to cholesterol actually suppresses inflammatory response genes. This precursor molecule could provide a new target for drugs designed to treat atherosclerosis.