Cited by 112Lipoproteins and Cardiovascular HealthCholesterol and Lipid MetabolismMetabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies

Metabolomic Consequences of Genetic Inhibition of PCSK9 Compared With Statin Treatment

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Sliz, Eeva, Kettunen, Johannes, Holmes, Michael V., Williams, Clare Oliver, Boachie, Charles, Wang, Qin, Männikkö, Minna, Sebert, Sylvain +22 more·2018·Circulation

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Abstract

Background: Both statins and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors lower blood low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels to reduce risk of cardiovascular events. To assess potential differences between metabolic effects of these 2 lipid-lowering therapies, we performed detailed lipid and metabolite profiling of a large randomized statin trial and compared the results with the effects of genetic inhibition of PCSK9, acting as a naturally occurring trial. Methods: Two hundred twenty-eight circulating metabolic measures were quantified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, including lipoprotein subclass concentrations and their lipid composition, fatty acids, and amino acids, for 5359 individuals (2659 on treatment) in the PROSPER (Prospective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk) trial at 6 months postrandomization. The corresponding metabolic measures were analyzed in 8 population cohorts (N=72 185) using PCSK9 rs11591147 as an unconfounded proxy to mimic the therapeutic effects of PCSK9 inhibitors. Results: Scaled to an equivalent lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the effects of genetic inhibition of PCSK9 on 228 metabolic markers were generally consistent with those of statin therapy ( R 2 =0.88). Alterations in lipoprotein lipid composition and fatty acid distribution were similar. However, discrepancies were observed for very-low-density lipoprotein lipid measures. For instance, genetic inhibition of PCSK9 had weaker effects on lowering of very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared with statin therapy (54% versus 77% reduction, relative to the lowering effect on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; P =2×10 -7 for heterogeneity). Genetic inhibition of PCSK9 showed no significant effects on amino acids, ketones, or a marker of inflammation (GlycA), whereas statin treatment weakly lowered GlycA levels. Conclusions: Genetic inhibition of PCSK9 had similar metabolic effects to statin therapy on detailed lipid and metabolite profiles. However, PCSK9 inhibitors are predicted to have weaker effects on very-low-density lipoprotein lipids compared with statins for an equivalent lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which potentially translate into smaller reductions in cardiovascular disease risk.

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Authors
Sliz, E., Kettunen, J., Holmes, M. V., Williams, C. O., Boachie, C., Wang, Q., Männikkö, M., Sebert, S., Walters, R., Lin, K., Millwood, I. Y., Clarke, R., Li, L., Rankin, N., Welsh, P., Delles, C., Jukema, J. W., Trompet, S., Ford, I., Perola, M., Salomaa, V., Järvelin, M.-R., Chen, Z., Lawlor, D. A., Ala-Korpela, M., Danesh, J., Davey Smith, G., Sattar, N., Butterworth, A., & Würtz, P.
Affiliations
  • University of Oulu (FI)
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (GB)
  • MRC/BHF Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care (C.O.W., J.D., A.B.), University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
  • University of Glasgow (GB)
  • Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute (AU)
  • Imperial College London (GB)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CN)
  • Leiden University Medical Center (NL)
  • University of Helsinki (FI)
  • Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (FI)
  • Oulu University Hospital (FI)
  • University of Bristol (GB)
  • Center for Life Course Health Research (E.S., J.K., Q.W., S.S., M.-R.J., M.A.-K.), University of Oulu, Finland.
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (M.V.H., D.A.L., M.A.-K., G.D.S.), University of Bristol, United Kingdom.
Corresponding author
Würtz, Peter
Venue
Circulation
Published
2018-11-27
Volume
138
Issue
22
Pages
2499-2512
ISSN
  • 0009-7322 (ISSN-L)
  • 1524-4539
OpenAlex
W2789775146
Cited by
109
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1
FWCI
11.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Circulation (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion)
  • UEF eRepo (University of Eastern Finland) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Spiral (Imperial College London) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • STM:n Hallinnonalan avoin julkaisuarkisto (Julkari) (submittedVersion)
  • Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion)
  • Apollo (cc-by)
  • Apollo
  • Greater South Information System
  • WOS
Funders
  • Eli Lilly and Company
  • Pfizer
  • AstraZeneca
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • Biogen
  • Foundation for Cardiovascular Research
  • Itä-Suomen Yliopisto
  • Helsingin Yliopisto
  • Wellcome Trust (139635, 2016YFC0900504, 212946/Z/18/Z, 202922, 102215/2/13/2), 104085, 81390544, 2016YFC0900501, 202922/Z/16/Z, 2016YFC 0900500, 733206, 088158/Z/09/Z, 102215, RE/13/1/30181, 104085/Z/14/Z, 088158, WT088806, 81390540, 2011BAI09B01, 81390541)
  • Mylan
  • Cancer Research UK (102215/2/13/2, 088158/Z/09/Z, 2016YFC0900501, 2016YFC0900500, 2016YFC0900504, 104085/Z/14/Z, 81390540, RE/13/1/30181, 202922/Z/16/Z)
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (NF-SI-0617-10113, NF-SI-0512-10165, WT088806)
  • British Heart Foundation (104085/Z/14/Z, G0800270, RE/13/1/30181, SP/09/002, SP/07/008/24066, 088158/Z/09/Z, 2016YFC0900500, 2016YFC0900501, RG/13/13/30194, 81390540, 202922/Z/16/Z, FS/18/23/33512, 2016YFC0900504)
  • Imperial College London (H2020)
  • University of Oxford (RE/13/1/30181, 104085/Z/14/Z, 202922/Z/16/Z, 088158/Z/09/Z)
  • European Commission (WT088806, 633595, 733206, H2020, 279233, 115372, 305507)
  • University of Glasgow
  • University of Bristol (102215/2/13/2)
  • Universiteit Leiden
  • Monash University
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (2016YFC0900504, 81390544, 2016YFC0900500, 104085/Z/14/Z, 81390541, 202922/Z/16/Z, 088158/Z/09/Z, 2016YFC0900501, 81390540, 2011BAI09B01)
  • Academy of Finland (285547, 633595)
  • Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (202922/Z/16/Z, 2011BAI09B01, 088158/Z/09/Z, 81390544, 81390541, 2016YFC0900501, 2016YFC 0900500, 2016YFC0900504, 81390540, 104085/Z/14/Z)
  • Novo Nordisk
  • State Government of Victoria
  • Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum
  • Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
  • BHF Centre of Research Excellence, Oxford (RE/13/1/30 181)
  • Sydäntutkimussäätiö (633595)
  • Oulun Yliopisto
  • Tutkijakoulu, Oulun Yliopiston
  • Tartu Ülikool
  • Peking University
  • Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF17OC0026062, NNF17OC0027034)
  • Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos
  • Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute
  • MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (733,206, 633595)
  • Medical Research Council (MC_PC_13049, 102215, MR/N005813/1, WT088806, 2016YFC0900500, 13/1/30181, MC_PC_12026, RE/13/1/30181, 104085/Z/14/Z, SP/09/002, 088158/Z/09/Z, 2016YFC0900501, 202922/Z/16/Z, 633595, 102215/2/13/2, G0800270, 2016YFC0900504, MC_UU_00011/1, MC_PC_14135, 81390540, MR/L003120/1)
  • National Key Research and Development Program of China (088158/Z/09/Z, 2016YFC0900500, 202922/Z/16/Z, 104085/Z/14/Z, 81390544, 2016YFC0900501, 81390541, 81390540, 2011BAI09B01, 2016 YFC0900504)
  • School of Public Health, Imperial College London
  • Biocenter, University of Oulu
  • FP7 Ideas: European Research Council (268834)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Lipoproteins and Cardiovascular Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies
Keywords
PCSK9 inhibitors, statins, LDL cholesterol lowering, VLDL cholesterol, lipoprotein lipid composition, fatty acids, amino acids, glycated proteins, cardiovascular risk, PROSPER trial
MeSH terms
Proprotein Convertase 9, PCSK9 Inhibitors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Amino Acids, Cardiovascular Diseases, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Cholesterol, LDL, Male, Cholesterol, VLDL, Placebo Effect, Pravastatin, Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors, Metabolomics, Mendelian Randomization Analysis

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