High-Intensity Statins Promote PCSK9 Secretion and aortic valve calcification in patients with severe aortic stenosis: In vitro and clinical evidence

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common valvular disease, characterized by progressive fibro-calcific remodeling of the aortic leaflets, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. It is now well known that statins influence the production of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9),...

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Main Authors: Veronika A. Myasoedova, Matteo Franchi, Donato De Giorgi, Alice Bonomi, Vincenza Valerio, Sergio Pirola, Niccolò Andreani, Valentina Rusconi, Francesca Bertolini, Ilaria Massaiu, Gianluca Pontone, Paolo Poggio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Pharmacological Research
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661825001628
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author Veronika A. Myasoedova
Matteo Franchi
Donato De Giorgi
Alice Bonomi
Vincenza Valerio
Sergio Pirola
Niccolò Andreani
Valentina Rusconi
Francesca Bertolini
Ilaria Massaiu
Gianluca Pontone
Paolo Poggio
author_facet Veronika A. Myasoedova
Matteo Franchi
Donato De Giorgi
Alice Bonomi
Vincenza Valerio
Sergio Pirola
Niccolò Andreani
Valentina Rusconi
Francesca Bertolini
Ilaria Massaiu
Gianluca Pontone
Paolo Poggio
author_sort Veronika A. Myasoedova
collection DOAJ
description Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common valvular disease, characterized by progressive fibro-calcific remodeling of the aortic leaflets, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. It is now well known that statins influence the production of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), which in turn is linked to calcification. Here, we found that statins significantly increased, in a dose dependent manner, both PCSK9 secretion and valve interstitial cell (VIC) calcification, in vitro. These effects were blunted by PCSK9 genetic knock-down or by PCSK9 antibody neutralization. In AS patients, contrast-enhanced computed tomography evaluation showed a higher aortic valve calcium (AVC) content in patients on high-intensity statins compared to low-intensity ones, with no significant difference between low-intensity statin and non-users. At follow-up, high-intensity statin users exhibited a higher annual AVC accumulation compared to low-intensity statins and non-users. In a real-world scenario, high-intensity statin therapy was associated with a 30 % increased rate of hospitalization for non-rheumatic aortic valve disease. Our findings highlight the need for further investigation into the intricate relationship between statin therapy and aortic valve health to identify the optimal lipid-lowering strategy in the management of patients at risk of developing or afflicted by AS.
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spelling doaj-art-8c771e5d2cb347ef9d435e1a2e8cbad72025-08-20T02:18:50ZengElsevierPharmacological Research1096-11862025-05-0121510773710.1016/j.phrs.2025.107737High-Intensity Statins Promote PCSK9 Secretion and aortic valve calcification in patients with severe aortic stenosis: In vitro and clinical evidenceVeronika A. Myasoedova0Matteo Franchi1Donato De Giorgi2Alice Bonomi3Vincenza Valerio4Sergio Pirola5Niccolò Andreani6Valentina Rusconi7Francesca Bertolini8Ilaria Massaiu9Gianluca Pontone10Paolo Poggio11Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, ItalyCentro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, Italy; Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan 20126, ItalyCentro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, ItalyCentro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, ItalyCentro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, ItalyCentro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, ItalyUnit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan 20126, ItalyCentro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, ItalyCentro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, ItalyCentro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, ItalyCentro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, Italy; Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20122, ItalyCentro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, Italy; Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20122, Italy; Correspondence to: Head of Unit for the Study of Aortic, Valvular, and Coronary Pathologies, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Via Carlo Parea 4, Milan 20138, Italy.Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common valvular disease, characterized by progressive fibro-calcific remodeling of the aortic leaflets, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. It is now well known that statins influence the production of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), which in turn is linked to calcification. Here, we found that statins significantly increased, in a dose dependent manner, both PCSK9 secretion and valve interstitial cell (VIC) calcification, in vitro. These effects were blunted by PCSK9 genetic knock-down or by PCSK9 antibody neutralization. In AS patients, contrast-enhanced computed tomography evaluation showed a higher aortic valve calcium (AVC) content in patients on high-intensity statins compared to low-intensity ones, with no significant difference between low-intensity statin and non-users. At follow-up, high-intensity statin users exhibited a higher annual AVC accumulation compared to low-intensity statins and non-users. In a real-world scenario, high-intensity statin therapy was associated with a 30 % increased rate of hospitalization for non-rheumatic aortic valve disease. Our findings highlight the need for further investigation into the intricate relationship between statin therapy and aortic valve health to identify the optimal lipid-lowering strategy in the management of patients at risk of developing or afflicted by AS.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661825001628Statin intensityPCSK9Aortic valve calcificationAortic valve disease hospitalization
spellingShingle Veronika A. Myasoedova
Matteo Franchi
Donato De Giorgi
Alice Bonomi
Vincenza Valerio
Sergio Pirola
Niccolò Andreani
Valentina Rusconi
Francesca Bertolini
Ilaria Massaiu
Gianluca Pontone
Paolo Poggio
High-Intensity Statins Promote PCSK9 Secretion and aortic valve calcification in patients with severe aortic stenosis: In vitro and clinical evidence
Pharmacological Research
Statin intensity
PCSK9
Aortic valve calcification
Aortic valve disease hospitalization
title High-Intensity Statins Promote PCSK9 Secretion and aortic valve calcification in patients with severe aortic stenosis: In vitro and clinical evidence
title_full High-Intensity Statins Promote PCSK9 Secretion and aortic valve calcification in patients with severe aortic stenosis: In vitro and clinical evidence
title_fullStr High-Intensity Statins Promote PCSK9 Secretion and aortic valve calcification in patients with severe aortic stenosis: In vitro and clinical evidence
title_full_unstemmed High-Intensity Statins Promote PCSK9 Secretion and aortic valve calcification in patients with severe aortic stenosis: In vitro and clinical evidence
title_short High-Intensity Statins Promote PCSK9 Secretion and aortic valve calcification in patients with severe aortic stenosis: In vitro and clinical evidence
title_sort high intensity statins promote pcsk9 secretion and aortic valve calcification in patients with severe aortic stenosis in vitro and clinical evidence
topic Statin intensity
PCSK9
Aortic valve calcification
Aortic valve disease hospitalization
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661825001628
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