Frohlich, Jiri
Professor, Dept of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Research Interests
Lipoproteins and atherosclerosis; clinical research studies (related to mechanisms of atherosclerosis)
A number of important risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis has been recognized. Our laboratory has concentrated on the study of factors that regulate blood levels of lipoproteins and, specifically, high density lipoproteins (HDL). HDL and two regulating proteins, namely cholesterol ester transfer protein and lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) are involved in what is known as reverse cholesterol transport e.g. transport of cholesterol from tissues to the liver for excretion.
Our laboratory has studied a number of patients with rare inherited disorders that lead to alterations in either high density lipoprotein levels in plasma or activities of LCAT. Two of these disorders, familial LCAT deficiency and Fish Eye disease have been studied in detail regarding their molecular genetics, biochemical and clinical features. Examination of the interaction between LCAT, HDL and the transfer protein may explain why some individuals with low levels of HDL do not develop premature atherosclerosis.
Recent research studies have focused on a cohort of 1,000+ patients that underwent selective coronary angiography in 1993-95. While the predictors of outcomes have been fairly well characterized, the cohort has now become part of a CIHR funded gene-environment study in an effort to characterize how the genotype (particularly genes instrumental in the response to inflammation) relates to phenotype.