Grant: Project Grant

Some people are born without the ability to clear cholesterol from their blood stream. This condition is known as FH (familial hypercholsterolemia), and in particular blood levels of LDL (low density lipoprotein, sometimes called "bad cholesterol") are often very high. FH can cause heart attacks or strokes. FH affects around 1/250 people. A warning sign that someone may have FH is when they develop Achilles tendon pain and thickening. Tendons are usually tough connective tissues, made of collagen. Many people have a long history of Achilles tendon pain and do not tolerate tendon loading (walking, jogging) very well, only to find out years later that they have FH. It is not fully known why the Achilles tendons of people with high cholesterol become painful and thickened and lose their load tolerance. In this research, we want to find out more about what causes Achilles tendon problems in people with FH. We want to learn how FH affects the function of tendons. We think that LDL can become harmful to tendon cells, reducing the ability to make collagen and resulting in softer tendons. If our hypothesis is true, then we could start to develop therapies to help rebuild the collagen and regain the tendon's ability to tolerate exercise. This would make it easier to engage in healthy exercise, which is really important in lowering cholesterol levels.