echemi logo
Product
  • Product
  • Supplier
  • Inquiry
    Home > Biochemistry News > Biotechnology News > New oral drug lowers cholesterol by 70%

    New oral drug lowers cholesterol by 70%

    • Last Update: 2023-02-02
    • Source: Internet
    • Author: User
    Search more information of high quality chemicals, good prices and reliable suppliers, visit www.echemi.com
      

           

    Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in
    fats (lipids) in the blood.
    While your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, too much cholesterol can lead to a buildup of plaque in the arteries, increasing the risk of
    heart attack and stroke.

    A team of researchers from University Hospital and Case Western Reserve University has discovered a small molecule drug that can effectively lower cholesterol
    by 70 percent in animal models.

    PCSK9 inhibitors are the second most common type of
    drug used to control cholesterol levels after statins.
    These drugs are very effective at reducing excess cholesterol in the blood, but unlike statins, which can be taken orally, PCSK9 inhibitors must be injected
    .
    This can be a barrier
    to using them for some.

    Researchers at University Hospital and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have developed a small molecule drug
    that can be taken orally.
    In animal models, the drug has been shown to significantly reduce PCSK9 levels and reduce cholesterol by 70%.

    The findings, published in the journal Cell Reports, represent a new way to manage cholesterol that could also have implications
    for cancer treatment.

    "Lowering cholesterol is one of the most important therapies we can use to prolong life and protect people from heart disease, which remains the number one cause
    of morbidity and mortality in the Western world.
    " Jonathan S.
    Stamler, MD, said
    .

    Statins currently only lower cholesterol
    .
    We think it's a new way to lower cholesterol, a new way
    to combat PCSK9.

    Study results

    At the heart of cholesterol regulation are LDL receptors, which sit on the surface of liver cells and remove cholesterol from the blood, thereby lowering serum levels
    .
    PCSK9 in the blood controls their number
    by labeling degradation of LDL receptors.
    Thus, drugs that inhibit PCSK9 increase the number of
    LDL receptors that remove cholesterol.

    Nitric oxide is a molecule that prevents heart attacks
    by dilating blood vessels.
    In the new study, Stamler and his colleagues showed that nitric oxide can also target and inhibit PCSK9, thereby lowering cholesterol
    .
    They found a small molecule drug that works to increase nitric oxide inactivation
    of PCSK9.
    Mice treated with this drug had a 70 percent reduction in LDL "bad" cholesterol
    .

    Effects of cholesterol on cancer

    In addition to affecting the field of cholesterol metabolism, these findings may also affect cancer patients, as emerging evidence suggests that targeting PCSK9 can improve the efficacy
    of cancer immunotherapy.

    Stamler said: "PCSK9 not only targets the LDL receptor for degradation, but also mediates the degradation of MHC 1 on lymphocytes, which is used to recognize cancer cells
    .
    PCSK9 can effectively block lymphocytes from recognizing cancer cells
    .
    So, if you inhibit PCSK9, you can enhance your body's cancer surveillance
    .
    Perhaps one day, we will have the opportunity to apply these new drugs to this need
    .

    References: "A multienzyme S-nitrosylation cascade regulates cholesterol homeostasis" by Colin T.
    Stomberski, Nicholas M.
    Venetos, Hua-Lin Zhou, Zhaoxia Qian, Bryce R.
    Collison, Seth J.
    Field, Richard T.
    Premont and Jonathan S.
    Stamler, 25 October 2022, Cell Reports.

    This article is an English version of an article which is originally in the Chinese language on echemi.com and is provided for information purposes only. This website makes no representation or warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness ownership or reliability of the article or any translations thereof. If you have any concerns or complaints relating to the article, please send an email, providing a detailed description of the concern or complaint, to service@echemi.com. A staff member will contact you within 5 working days. Once verified, infringing content will be removed immediately.

    Contact Us

    The source of this page with content of products and services is from Internet, which doesn't represent ECHEMI's opinion. If you have any queries, please write to service@echemi.com. It will be replied within 5 days.

    Moreover, if you find any instances of plagiarism from the page, please send email to service@echemi.com with relevant evidence.