Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death among elderly people.
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is an important regulator of
cholesterol metabolism. Herein, we investigated the role of PCSK9 in age-related CVD.
Both in humans and rats, blood PCSK9 level correlated positively with increasing age
and the development of cardiovascular dysfunction. Age-related fatty degeneration
of liver tissue positively correlated with serum PCSK9 levels in the rat model, while
development of age-related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease correlated with cardiovascular
functional impairment. Network analysis identified PCSK9 as an important factor in
age-associated lipid alterations and it correlated positively with intima-media thickness,
a clinical parameter of CVD risk. PCSK9 inhibition with alirocumab effectively reduced
the CVD progression in aging rats, suggesting that PCSK9 plays an important role in
cardiovascular aging.
