scholarly journals Pleiotropic Effects of PCSK-9 Inhibitors

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 3144
Author(s):  
Marcin Basiak ◽  
Michał Kosowski ◽  
Marcin Cyrnek ◽  
Łukasz Bułdak ◽  
Mateusz Maligłówka ◽  
...  

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK-9) inhibitors are a group of drugs whose main mechanism of action is binding to the PCSK-9 molecule, which reduces the degradation of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) and, hence, increases the uptake of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) from the bloodstream as well as reducing its concentration. The effectiveness of three monoclonal antibodies, namely, alirocumab (human IgG1/κ monoclonal antibody, genetically engineered in Chinese hamster ovary cells), evolocumab (the first fully human monoclonal antibody), and bococizumab (humanized mouse antibody), in inhibiting the action of PCSK-9 and reducing LDLc levels has been confirmed. The first two, after clinical trials, were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are used primarily in the treatment of autosomal familial hypercholesterolemia and in cases of statin intolerance. They are currently used both as monotherapy and in combination with statins and ezetimibe to intensify therapy and achieve therapeutic goals following the American Heart Association (AHA) and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines. However, the lipid-lowering effect is not the only effect of action described by researchers that PCSK-9 inhibitors have. This paper is a review of the literature describing the pleiotropic effects of PCSK-9 inhibitors, which belong to a group of drugs that are being increasingly used, especially when standard lipid-lowering therapy fails. The article focuses on activities other than lipid-lowering, such as the anti-atherosclerotic effect and stabilization of atherosclerotic plaque, the anti-aggregation effect, the anticoagulant effect, the antineoplastic effect, and the ability to influence the course of bacterial infections. In this publication, we try to systematically review the current scientific data, both from our own scientific work and knowledge from international publications.

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiao Gong ◽  
Yaqiong Chen ◽  
Yusheng Jie ◽  
Mingkai Tan ◽  
Zhaofang Jiang ◽  
...  

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a well-known risk factor for coronary heart disease but protects against infection and sepsis. We aimed to disclose the exact association between LDL-C and severe 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Baseline data were retrospectively collected for 601 non-severe COVID-19 patients from two centers in Guangzhou and one center in Shenzhen, and patients on admission were medically observed for at least 15 days to determine the final outcome, including the non-severe group (n = 460) and the severe group (severe and critical cases) (n = 141). Among 601 cases, 76 (12.65%) received lipid-lowering therapy; the proportion of patients taking lipid-lowering drugs in the severe group was higher than that in the non-severe group (22.7 vs. 9.6%). We found a U-shaped association between LDL-C level and risk of severe COVID-19 using restricted cubic splines. Using univariate logistic regression analysis, odds ratios for severe COVID-19 for patients with LDL-C ≤1.6 mmol/L (61.9 mg/dL) and above 3.4 mmol/L (131.4 mg/dL) were 2.29 (95% confidence interval 1.12–4.68; p = 0.023) and 2.02 (1.04–3.94; p = 0.039), respectively, compared to those with LDL-C of 2.81–3.40 mmol/L (108.6–131.4 mg/dL); following multifactorial adjustment, odds ratios were 2.61 (1.07–6.37; p = 0.035) and 2.36 (1.09–5.14; p = 0.030). Similar results were yielded using 0.3 and 0.5 mmol/L categories of LDL-C and sensitivity analyses. Both low and high LDL-C levels were significantly associated with higher risk of severe COVID-19. Although our findings do not necessarily imply causality, they suggest that clinicians should pay more attention to lipid-lowering therapy in COVID-19 patients to improve clinical prognosis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Penson ◽  
S.S Martin ◽  
N.C Henney ◽  
M Banach

Abstract Background Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and a target for lipid-lowering therapy. LDL-C is typically not measured directly but is estimated using the Friedewald formula, which assumes a fixed factor for the ratio of triglycerides (TG) to very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C). However this assumption is sometimes not valid. The Martin/Hopkins (M/H) formula estimates LDL-C using an adjustable factor for the TG:VLDL-C ratio and is expected to improve upon Friedewald when predicting measured LDL-C, and apolipoprotein B (ApoB), one molecule of which is associated with each LDL particle. Purpose We compared values of LDL-C calculated by the Friedewald and M/H methods with respect to their correlation with non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and ApoB, and their classification of individuals based upon attainment of the threshold value of 70 mg/dl (1.8 mmol/l) of LDL-C. This cut-point is a treatment target for individuals at high risk of CVD in the 2019 ESC guidelines for lipid modification, and a threshold for initiating statin therapy in the 2019 ACC/AHA guidelines. Methods In this analysis we included participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2005–2016, age ≥18, <80 years who had measurements for total cholesterol (TC), TG and HDL-C. LDL-C was calculated using Friedewald and M/H. We correlated LDL-C (calculated using the two methods) with non-HDL-C and ApoB. We identified individuals with LDL-C <70 mg/dl using both methods. When LDL-C (Friedewald) was <70, but LDL-C (M/H) was >70, we classified these participants as discordant. Statistical analyses were performed in IBM SPSS for Windows v26. Results 12,243 individuals were included. 51.8% were female, mean (±SD) age was 45.5±17.4, 15.3% were treated with statins, ApoB was available for 2179 participants. Mean lipid concentrations (mg/dl) were: TC: 191.5±41.0, TG: 120.0±67.0, HDL-C: 54.1±15.7, LDL-C (Friedewald): 113.3±35.4; LDL-C (M/H): 114.9±35.2. In the whole population, LDL-C (M/H) was more strongly correlated than LDL-C (Friedewald) with ApoB (r=0.935 v 0.894) and non-HDL-C (r=0.981 v 0.944). In statin-treated participants, LDL-C (M/H) was also more strongly correlated with ApoB (r=0.951 v 0.914) and non-HDL-C (r=0.979 v 0.928). 1139 participants had LDL-C (Friedewald) <70 mg/dl. Of these, 206 individuals (18.1%) were discordant, having LDL-C (M/H) >70 mg/dl. Amongst statin-treated patients, 22.9% were discordant. Only 5.5% of individuals with LDL-C (M/H) <70 mg/dl showed reverse discordance (LDL-C (Friedewald) >70 mg/dl). Conclusions The M/H method of calculating LDL-C correlates more strongly with non-HDL-C and ApoB than Friedewald. Importantly the discordant results confirm previous observations that Friedewald underestimates LDL-C at low concentrations. This may result in under-use of lipid-lowering therapies. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyoeun Kim ◽  
Chan Joo Lee ◽  
Hayeon Pak ◽  
Doo-Il Kim ◽  
Moo-Yong Rhee ◽  
...  

Abstract Among the 146 patients enrolled in the Korean FH registry, 83 patients who had undergone appropriate LLT escalation and were followed-up for ≥ 6 months were analyzed for pathogenic variants (PVs). The achieved percentage of expected low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction (primary variable) and achievement rates of LDL-C < 70 mg/dL were assessed. The correlations between the treatment response and the characteristics of PVs, and the weighted 4 SNP-based score were evaluated. The primary variables were significantly lower in the PV-positive patients than in the PV-negative patients (p = 0.007). However, the type of PV did not significantly correlate with the primary variable. The achievement rates of LDL-C < 70 mg/dL was very low, regardless of the PV characteristics. Patients with a higher 4-SNP score showed a lower primary variable (R2 = 0.045, p = 0.048). Among evolocumab users, PV-negative patients or those with only defective PVs revealed higher primary variable, whereas patients with at least one null PV showed lower primary variables. The adjusted response of patients with FH to LLT showed significant associations with PV positivity and 4-SNP score. These results may be helpful in managing FH patients with diverse genetic backgrounds.


2015 ◽  
Vol 128 (12) ◽  
pp. 877-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Montse Guardiola ◽  
Núria Plana ◽  
Daiana Ibarretxe ◽  
Anna Cabré ◽  
Marta González ◽  
...  

The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) gene regulates cholesterol homoeostasis by accelerating low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) degradation resulting in the decreased catabolism of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) leading to hypercholesterolaemia. PCSK9 has also been related to other metabolic risk factors such as triglycerides (TGs) and glucose levels and body mass index (BMI). Therefore, our aim was to study the relationship between the PCSK9 and the lipid and lipoprotein profile. We studied 267 diabetic and metabolic syndrome patients who were not receiving any lipid-lowering therapy. We measured circulating lipids, cholesterol in remnant lipoproteins (RLPc) and PCSK9 levels. A detailed lipoprotein profile was determined based on NMR. Plasma PCSK9 levels were significantly and positively correlated with TG (r=0.136, P=0.033), total cholesterol (r=0.219, P<0.001) and apoB (apolipoprotein B; r=0.226, P=0.006) circulating levels and with an atherogenic profile of lipoprotein subclasses. In further detail, circulating PCSK9 levels were positively correlated with large very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles, (r=0.210, P=0.001) and with their remnants, the intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL) particles (r=0.206, P=0.001); positively correlated with smaller LDL particles (for small LDL: r=0.224, P<0.001; for medium small LDL: r=0.235, P<0.001; and for very small LDL: r=0.220, P<0.001); and with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles (r=0.146, P<0.001), which is mainly explained by the PCSK9 correlation with the smallest HDL particles (r=0.130, P=0.037). In addition, circulating PCSK9 levels were positively correlated with the pro-atherogenic circulating RLPc levels (r=0.171, P=0.006). All of the correlations were adjusted by age, gender and BMI. PCSK9 levels are significantly and positively correlated with atherogenic lipoproteins such as large VLDL, IDL, the smallest LDL, the smallest HDL particles and RLPc levels.


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