New York, Feb 14: Scientists have identified a “selfish” gene that can potentially remove cholesterol from blood vessels and help prevent heart disease. The gene, called MeXis, acts within key cells inside clogged arteries to help remove excess cholesterol from blood vessels. In mice, MeXis was found to control the expression of a protein that pumps cholesterol out of cells in the artery wall, said researchers from the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA).