Evolution Made Us Prone to Heart Attacks

"Loss of Single Gene in Our Ancestors Resulted in Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease"


A recent study suggests that the loss of single gene, two to three million years ago in our ancestors may have resulted in a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease in all Humans as a Species. The same evolutionary gene loss may also have set up a further risk for red meat eating humans.

Atherosclerosis - the clogging of the arteries with fatty deposits, is the cause of one-third of deaths worldwide due to Cardiovascular disease. There are many known risk factors, including blood cholesterol, physical inactivity, age, hypertension, obesity and smoking. However, in roughly 15% of first-time cardiovascular disease events (CVD) due to atherosclerosis, none of these factors apply.

Researchers noted that naturally occurring Coronary heart attacks due to atherosclerosis are virtually non-existent in other mammals, including closely related chimpanzees in captivity which share human-like risk factors, such as high blood lipids, hypertension and physical inactivity.

The new study shows that mice modified to be deficient (like humans) in a Sialic Acid Sugar Molecules called Neu5Gc showed a significant increase in atherosclerosis compared to control mice, who retain the CMAH gene that produces Neu5Gc. They said that human-like elimination of CMAH and Neu5Gc in mice caused an almost two-fold increase in severity of Atherosclerosis compared to unmodified mice.

This may help explain why even vegetarians without any other obvious cardiovascular risk factors are still very prone to heart attacks and strokes, while other evolutionary relatives are not.

However, in consuming red meat, humans are also repeatedly exposed to Neu5Gc which prompts an immune response and chronic inflammation they call "xenosialitis".

                                                                                                                        Source: Airbus