Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy.
Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Pisa, Italy.
Eur J Clin Invest. 2021 Apr;51(4):e13459. doi: 10.1111/eci.13459. Epub 2020 Dec 3.
Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is involved in cholesterol homeostasis. After binding to the complex low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-receptor, PCSK9 induces its intracellular degradation, thus reducing serum LDL clearance. In addition to the well-known activity on the hepatic LDL receptor-mediated pathway, PCSK9 has been, however, associated with vascular inflammation in atherogenesis. Indeed, PCSK9 is expressed by various cell types that are involved in atherosclerosis (e.g. endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and macrophages) and is detected inside human atherosclerotic plaques. We here analyse the biology of PCSK9 and its possible involvement in molecular processes involved in atherosclerosis, beyond the regulation of circulating LDL cholesterol levels.
前蛋白转化酶枯草溶菌素 9（PCSK9）参与胆固醇稳态。在与 LDL 受体复合物结合后，PCSK9 诱导其细胞内降解，从而减少血清 LDL 的清除。除了对肝脏 LDL 受体介导途径的众所周知的活性外，PCSK9 还与动脉粥样硬化中的血管炎症有关。事实上，PCSK9 由参与动脉粥样硬化的各种细胞类型（例如内皮细胞、平滑肌细胞和巨噬细胞）表达，并在人类动脉粥样硬化斑块内检测到。我们在这里分析 PCSK9 的生物学及其在动脉粥样硬化中涉及的分子过程中的可能作用，而不仅仅是调节循环 LDL 胆固醇水平。
