Plasma Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) as a Possible Biomarker for Severe COVID-19
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) reduces low density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake, leading to increased plasma levels of LDL. In addition, PCSK9 has been implicated in inflammation independently of the effects on cholesterol metabolism. The current analysis showed that our 156 patie...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/7/1511 |
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| author | Patricia Mester Pablo Amend Stephan Schmid Martina Müller Christa Buechler Vlad Pavel |
| author_facet | Patricia Mester Pablo Amend Stephan Schmid Martina Müller Christa Buechler Vlad Pavel |
| author_sort | Patricia Mester |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) reduces low density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake, leading to increased plasma levels of LDL. In addition, PCSK9 has been implicated in inflammation independently of the effects on cholesterol metabolism. The current analysis showed that our 156 patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or sepsis had higher plasma PCSK9 levels in contrast with the 68 healthy controls. COVID-19 sepsis patients had increased plasma PCSK9 levels in comparison to sepsis patients not infected by SARS-CoV-2. For further analysis, patients were divided in two groups based on COVID-19. In both sub-cohorts, plasma PCSK9 levels did not correlate with C-reactive protein, leukocyte count, and procalcitonin. Plasma PCSK9 levels of both patient groups did not significantly differ among SIRS/sepsis patients with and without dialysis and patients with and without ventilation. Furthermore, vasopressor therapy was not significantly associated with altered plasma PCSK9 levels. In the non-COVID-19 SIRS/sepsis group, patients with Gram-negative and Gram-positive infections had similar plasma PCSK9 levels as patients without a detectable pathogen in their blood. In conclusion, the current study suggests PCSK9 as a possible biomarker for COVID-19, but this needs to be validated in larger cohorts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:34:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e12fa49b879842ff995e99fcfa06d7d4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:34:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-e12fa49b879842ff995e99fcfa06d7d42023-11-18T21:44:44ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152023-07-01157151110.3390/v15071511Plasma Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) as a Possible Biomarker for Severe COVID-19Patricia Mester0Pablo Amend1Stephan Schmid2Martina Müller3Christa Buechler4Vlad Pavel5Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyProprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) reduces low density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake, leading to increased plasma levels of LDL. In addition, PCSK9 has been implicated in inflammation independently of the effects on cholesterol metabolism. The current analysis showed that our 156 patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or sepsis had higher plasma PCSK9 levels in contrast with the 68 healthy controls. COVID-19 sepsis patients had increased plasma PCSK9 levels in comparison to sepsis patients not infected by SARS-CoV-2. For further analysis, patients were divided in two groups based on COVID-19. In both sub-cohorts, plasma PCSK9 levels did not correlate with C-reactive protein, leukocyte count, and procalcitonin. Plasma PCSK9 levels of both patient groups did not significantly differ among SIRS/sepsis patients with and without dialysis and patients with and without ventilation. Furthermore, vasopressor therapy was not significantly associated with altered plasma PCSK9 levels. In the non-COVID-19 SIRS/sepsis group, patients with Gram-negative and Gram-positive infections had similar plasma PCSK9 levels as patients without a detectable pathogen in their blood. In conclusion, the current study suggests PCSK9 as a possible biomarker for COVID-19, but this needs to be validated in larger cohorts.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/7/1511COVID-19ventilationprocalcitoninsurvival |
| spellingShingle | Patricia Mester Pablo Amend Stephan Schmid Martina Müller Christa Buechler Vlad Pavel Plasma Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) as a Possible Biomarker for Severe COVID-19 Viruses COVID-19 ventilation procalcitonin survival |
| title | Plasma Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) as a Possible Biomarker for Severe COVID-19 |
| title_full | Plasma Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) as a Possible Biomarker for Severe COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Plasma Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) as a Possible Biomarker for Severe COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plasma Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) as a Possible Biomarker for Severe COVID-19 |
| title_short | Plasma Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) as a Possible Biomarker for Severe COVID-19 |
| title_sort | plasma proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 pcsk9 as a possible biomarker for severe covid 19 |
| topic | COVID-19 ventilation procalcitonin survival |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/7/1511 |
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