Why Is Apolipoprotein CIII Emerging as a Novel Therapeutic Target to Reduce the Burden of Cardiovascular Disease?
ApoC-III was discovered almost 50 years ago, but for many years, it did not attract much attention. However, as epidemiological and Mendelian randomization studies have associated apoC-III with low levels of triglycerides and decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), it has emerged as a novel and potentially powerful therapeutic approach to managing dyslipidemia and CVD risk. The atherogenicity of apoC-III has been attributed to both direct lipoprotein lipase-mediated mechanisms and indirect mechanisms, such as promoting secretion of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs), provoking proinflammatory responses in vascular cells and impairing LPL-independent hepatic clearance of TRL remnants. Encouraging results from clinical trials using antisense oligonucleotide, which selectively inhibits apoC-III, indicate that modulating apoC-III may be a potent therapeutic approach to managing dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease risk.
Heart and Lung Centre, Helsinki University Central Hospital and Research Programs' Unit, Diabetes & Obesity, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Marja-Riitta
MR
Taskinen
Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. jan.boren@wlab.gu.se.|Wallenberg Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. jan.boren@wlab.gu.se.
Jan
J
Borén
D053305:Apolipoprotein C-III / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides
D053305:Apolipoprotein C-III; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; C030087:lipoprotein triglyceride
CVD; Lipoproteins; Remnants; Triglycerides; apoC-III