Exploring the Link between Plasma Levels of PCSK9, Immune Dysregulation and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) regulates lipid metabolism contributing to cardiovascular (CV) risk in the general population. The relationship between PCSK9 and CV risk in systemic autoimmune diseases has been poorly explored. We investigated the association between plasma PCS...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | Biomolecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/9/1384 |
| _version_ | 1797581070034534400 |
|---|---|
| author | Vanessa Bianconi Giacomo Cafaro Massimo Raffaele Mannarino Carlo Perricone Elena Cosentini Onelia Bistoni Rita Paltriccia Rita Lombardini Roberto Gerli Matteo Pirro Elena Bartoloni |
| author_facet | Vanessa Bianconi Giacomo Cafaro Massimo Raffaele Mannarino Carlo Perricone Elena Cosentini Onelia Bistoni Rita Paltriccia Rita Lombardini Roberto Gerli Matteo Pirro Elena Bartoloni |
| author_sort | Vanessa Bianconi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) regulates lipid metabolism contributing to cardiovascular (CV) risk in the general population. The relationship between PCSK9 and CV risk in systemic autoimmune diseases has been poorly explored. We investigated the association between plasma PCSK9, measures of immune–inflammatory status and markers of atherosclerosis in 52 consecutive patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) in comparison to healthy controls (HCs). Median plasma PCSK9 levels were significantly higher in pSS patients versus HCs (162 (79–255) vs. 53 (39–99) ng/mL). Significantly higher prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and lower of dyslipidaemia (61% vs. 85%, <i>p</i> = 0.042) characterized pSS patients versus HCs. In pSS, no significant correlation emerged between PCSK9 and disease activity, atherosclerosis and lipid levels. In HCs, PCSK9 significantly correlated with lipid levels and atherosclerosis. Interestingly, significantly higher PCSK9 levels were found in HCs with high-to-very-high as compared to low-to-moderate CV risk (<i>p</i> = 0.018) while a non-significant trend towards higher PCSK9 levels was detected in pSS patients with low-to-moderate as compared to high-to-very-high CV risk (<i>p</i> = 0.060). This is the first demonstration that pSS patients, despite lower prevalence of dyslipidaemia and higher CV risk profile, are characterized by a 3-fold increase in PCSK9 levels in comparison to HCs. As PCSK9 does not correlate with measures of CV risk, its role in CV morbidity in pSS needs further investigation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:58:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-034a51b74e4c41b99fb3a6231b9dd832 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2218-273X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:58:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomolecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-034a51b74e4c41b99fb3a6231b9dd8322023-11-19T09:46:14ZengMDPI AGBiomolecules2218-273X2023-09-01139138410.3390/biom13091384Exploring the Link between Plasma Levels of PCSK9, Immune Dysregulation and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Primary Sjögren’s SyndromeVanessa Bianconi0Giacomo Cafaro1Massimo Raffaele Mannarino2Carlo Perricone3Elena Cosentini4Onelia Bistoni5Rita Paltriccia6Rita Lombardini7Roberto Gerli8Matteo Pirro9Elena Bartoloni10Unit of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, ItalyRheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, ItalyUnit of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, ItalyRheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, ItalyUnit of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, ItalyRheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, ItalyUnit of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, ItalyUnit of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, ItalyRheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, ItalyUnit of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, ItalyRheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, ItalyProprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) regulates lipid metabolism contributing to cardiovascular (CV) risk in the general population. The relationship between PCSK9 and CV risk in systemic autoimmune diseases has been poorly explored. We investigated the association between plasma PCSK9, measures of immune–inflammatory status and markers of atherosclerosis in 52 consecutive patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) in comparison to healthy controls (HCs). Median plasma PCSK9 levels were significantly higher in pSS patients versus HCs (162 (79–255) vs. 53 (39–99) ng/mL). Significantly higher prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and lower of dyslipidaemia (61% vs. 85%, <i>p</i> = 0.042) characterized pSS patients versus HCs. In pSS, no significant correlation emerged between PCSK9 and disease activity, atherosclerosis and lipid levels. In HCs, PCSK9 significantly correlated with lipid levels and atherosclerosis. Interestingly, significantly higher PCSK9 levels were found in HCs with high-to-very-high as compared to low-to-moderate CV risk (<i>p</i> = 0.018) while a non-significant trend towards higher PCSK9 levels was detected in pSS patients with low-to-moderate as compared to high-to-very-high CV risk (<i>p</i> = 0.060). This is the first demonstration that pSS patients, despite lower prevalence of dyslipidaemia and higher CV risk profile, are characterized by a 3-fold increase in PCSK9 levels in comparison to HCs. As PCSK9 does not correlate with measures of CV risk, its role in CV morbidity in pSS needs further investigation.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/9/1384PCSK9cardiovascularatherosclerosisdyslipidemiainflammation |
| spellingShingle | Vanessa Bianconi Giacomo Cafaro Massimo Raffaele Mannarino Carlo Perricone Elena Cosentini Onelia Bistoni Rita Paltriccia Rita Lombardini Roberto Gerli Matteo Pirro Elena Bartoloni Exploring the Link between Plasma Levels of PCSK9, Immune Dysregulation and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome Biomolecules PCSK9 cardiovascular atherosclerosis dyslipidemia inflammation |
| title | Exploring the Link between Plasma Levels of PCSK9, Immune Dysregulation and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome |
| title_full | Exploring the Link between Plasma Levels of PCSK9, Immune Dysregulation and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Link between Plasma Levels of PCSK9, Immune Dysregulation and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Link between Plasma Levels of PCSK9, Immune Dysregulation and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome |
| title_short | Exploring the Link between Plasma Levels of PCSK9, Immune Dysregulation and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome |
| title_sort | exploring the link between plasma levels of pcsk9 immune dysregulation and atherosclerosis in patients with primary sjogren s syndrome |
| topic | PCSK9 cardiovascular atherosclerosis dyslipidemia inflammation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/9/1384 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vanessabianconi exploringthelinkbetweenplasmalevelsofpcsk9immunedysregulationandatherosclerosisinpatientswithprimarysjogrenssyndrome AT giacomocafaro exploringthelinkbetweenplasmalevelsofpcsk9immunedysregulationandatherosclerosisinpatientswithprimarysjogrenssyndrome AT massimoraffaelemannarino exploringthelinkbetweenplasmalevelsofpcsk9immunedysregulationandatherosclerosisinpatientswithprimarysjogrenssyndrome AT carloperricone exploringthelinkbetweenplasmalevelsofpcsk9immunedysregulationandatherosclerosisinpatientswithprimarysjogrenssyndrome AT elenacosentini exploringthelinkbetweenplasmalevelsofpcsk9immunedysregulationandatherosclerosisinpatientswithprimarysjogrenssyndrome AT oneliabistoni exploringthelinkbetweenplasmalevelsofpcsk9immunedysregulationandatherosclerosisinpatientswithprimarysjogrenssyndrome AT ritapaltriccia exploringthelinkbetweenplasmalevelsofpcsk9immunedysregulationandatherosclerosisinpatientswithprimarysjogrenssyndrome AT ritalombardini exploringthelinkbetweenplasmalevelsofpcsk9immunedysregulationandatherosclerosisinpatientswithprimarysjogrenssyndrome AT robertogerli exploringthelinkbetweenplasmalevelsofpcsk9immunedysregulationandatherosclerosisinpatientswithprimarysjogrenssyndrome AT matteopirro exploringthelinkbetweenplasmalevelsofpcsk9immunedysregulationandatherosclerosisinpatientswithprimarysjogrenssyndrome AT elenabartoloni exploringthelinkbetweenplasmalevelsofpcsk9immunedysregulationandatherosclerosisinpatientswithprimarysjogrenssyndrome |