Mitochondrial DNA damage as a predictor of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease

摘要

Disclosed herein is that mitochondrial DNA damage occurs prior to, or simultaneous with, atherosclerotic lesion development, that aortic mitochondrial DNA damage increases with age, and that genotype and diet both influence the level of mitochondrial DNA damage. Hence, mitochondrial DNA damage occurs early in atherosclerosis, and may be an initiating event in atherogenesis. Methods to predict coronary atherosclerotic heart disease based upon the amount of mitochondrial DNA damage is also described.