Using genetics of Protein S to predict blood clots

Published by Travis Wilson on

Blood clots can form in veins and arteries. Clots can sometimes break off and travel to the lung. This is a very serious condition. It happens to about 2 million people in the United States each year. Smoking, high blood pressure, and taking hormones can increase your chances of these blood clots. Genetics can also play a part. Protein S is a protein in your body that controls blood clotting. In some people, this protein does not work as well as it should. This can be due to changes in the gene for this protein. People with these gene changes are more likely to get blood clots. One specific change is found in some black people. This change is not common in white people. An earlier study found that black people with blood clots in the lung had this gene change more often than those who did not have blood clots. Vanderbilt researchers hope to confirm this gene change linked to these blood clots. They will use BioVU to to look at the gene change in black people with the blood clots and compare with black people who don’t have blood clots. The findings may help us predict and prevent dangerous blood clots.

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