Nature reviews. Endocrinology
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Triglycerides and cholesterol circulate in the bloodstream as part of various lipoprotein particles. Three members of the angiopoietin-like (ANGPTL) protein family - ANGPTL3, ANGPTL4 and ANGPTL8 - have emerged as important regulators of plasma lipoprotein levels by inhibiting the enzyme lipoprotein lipase. Here, I review the role of ANGPTL3 in lipoprotein metabolism. ⋯ Heterozygous carriers of loss-of-function mutations in ANGPTL3 have a lower risk of coronary artery disease than non-carriers. At present, researchers are investigating antisense oligonucleotide and monoclonal antibody-based inactivation of ANGPTL3 in human clinical trials for the therapeutic management of dyslipidaemia and atherosclerosis. Thus, ANGPTL3 is an important liver-derived regulator of lipoprotein metabolism that holds considerable promise as a target for atherosclerosis.