PCSK 9, un nuevo blanco terapéutico para el control de la hipercolesterolemia

Hypercholesterolemia is produced not only by a sedentary lifestyle and nutritional disorders but also due to genetic factors that result in elevated serum lipids, mainly low-density lipoproteins associated cholesterol (LDL-C), contributing as a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. A therapeutic diet and statins are the first line strategies aimed to reduce the levels of LDL-C in hypercholesterolemic patients. Nevertheless, statins are not devoid of side effects, or a lack of efficiency in some patients. The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a serine protease has been described recently to play an important role in the metabolism of LDL-C, favoring the degradation of its membrane receptor (LDLR) in the hepatocyte. This makes PCSK9 an excellent therapeutic target for the control of LDL-C in hypercholesterolemic patients, reducing their cardiovascular risks. The best-characterized approach so far to control the activity PCSK9 has been the use of monoclonal antibodies. There have been several clinical trials that tested the use of anti-PCSK antibodies showing high effectivity in the control of serum LDL-C and minimal side effects. This review describes part of those studies and their results with the use of this new pharmaceutical that is still in development but shows tremendous potential