A Therapeutic Peptide Vaccine Against PCSK9

Sci Rep. 2017 Oct 2;7(1):12534. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-13069-w.

Abstract

Vaccination provides a promising approach for treatment of hypercholesterolemia and improvement in compliance. In this study, the appropriate virus-like particle (VLP)-peptide vaccines targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) were screened. The screening criteria of target peptides were as follows: (1) located in catalytic domain of PCSK9, or regulating the binding of PCSK9 and LDL receptors (LDLR); (2) having low/no-similarity when matched with the host proteome; (3) possessing ideal antigenicity and hydrophilicity; (4) including the functional mutation site of PCSK9. It was found that mice vaccinated with VLP -PCSK9 peptide vaccines, especially PCSK9Qβ-003 vaccine, developed high titer IgG antibodies against PCSK9. PCSK9Qβ-003 vaccine obviously decreased plasma total cholesterol in both Balb/c mice and LDLR+/- mice. Also, PCSK9Qβ-003 vaccine decreased plasma PCSK9 level and up-regulated LDLR expression in liver. Additionally, PCSK9Qβ-003 vaccine injection was associated with significant up-regulation of sterol-regulatory element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2), hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α (HNF-1α), and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase in LDLR+/- mice. No obvious immune injury was detected in vaccinated animals. The PCSK9Qβ-003 vaccine, therefore, may be an attractive treatment approach for hypercholesterolemia through decreasing cholesterol and regulating lipid homeostasis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Catalytic Domain / drug effects
  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-alpha / genetics
  • Humans
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Hypercholesterolemia / drug therapy*
  • Hypercholesterolemia / genetics
  • Hypercholesterolemia / immunology
  • Hypercholesterolemia / prevention & control
  • Immunogenicity, Vaccine / genetics
  • Immunogenicity, Vaccine / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mutation
  • PCSK9 Inhibitors
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / genetics
  • Proprotein Convertase 9 / genetics*
  • Receptors, LDL / genetics
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2 / genetics
  • Vaccines, Subunit / administration & dosage*
  • Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-alpha
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • PCSK9 Inhibitors
  • Receptors, LDL
  • Srebf2 protein, mouse
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2
  • Vaccines, Subunit
  • Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle
  • Cholesterol
  • HMG-CoA reductase phosphatase
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases
  • Pcsk9 protein, mouse
  • Proprotein Convertase 9