High levels of circulating mannose-binding lectin (MBL) are associated with lower risk of heart attack, according to a report on page 117. The correlation is particularly strong among diabetics and people with elevated cholesterol and may be a useful indicator of future risk.
MBL is a serum protein that binds to sugar residues on a broad range of microorganisms and promotes their clearance. MBL levels have been correlated with incidence of both infectious diseases and heart disease in some studies, but others found no such link.
The current study goes a long way toward settling the heart disease controversy. “This is the first study that examines levels of MBL protein in the context of other known risk factors for myocardial infarction,” senior author Helgi Valdimarsson points out. This stratified analysis revealed a particularly strong link between MBL levels and the already increased risk of...
