Bad cholesterol helps spread cancer in the body: Study 0
Bad cholesterol helps spread cancer in the body (Fotolia)
Bad cholesterol helps cancer spread through the body, a new Australian study has found.
Low density lipoprotein — or bad cholesterol — increases the movement of tiny vessels that contain integrins, the "Velcro-like" molecules on the surface of cells. The integrins can move cancer cells from tumours to other parts of the body.
"Our research found that having high amounts of 'bad' cholesterol seem to help the integrins in cancer cells to move and spread," senior author Thomas Grewal of the University of Sydney said in a press release.
"In contrast, we found that high levels of 'good' (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol keeps integrins inside cells and may therefore protect against cancer cell spread."
Grewal said the study advances the theory that manipulating and lowering bad cholesterol "could significantly help to reduce the ability of cancer cells to spread."
The study was published in the journal Cell Reports.