CXCL12: A New Player in Coronary Disease Identified through Human Genetics

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of more than 100,000 people have revealed novel loci associated with coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction that present exciting opportunities to discover novel disease pathways. One such recently identified locus is on chromosome 10q11, near the gene for the chemokine CXCL12, which has been implicated in cardiovascular disease in both mouse and human studies. These GWAS demonstrate that CXCL12 may emerge as a potential therapeutic target for atherosclerosis and thrombosis.