title: Calorically restricted diets decrease PCSK9 in overweight adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nutritional therapy is the first line approach to treatment of hyperlipidemia in childhood. Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a key regulator of plasma cholesterol levels and a target of novel lipid-lowering pharmacotherapies. We examined the effects of an intensive nutritional intervention on PCSK9 levels in overweight adolescents with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty seven obese and overweight adolescents with CVD risk factors were assigned to either a low fat or low glycemic load diet. During an 8-week "Intensive Phase," assigned meals were delivered to the home, and all participants received weekly in-person home nutrition counseling and phone calls. The subjects then underwent a 4-month "Maintenance Phase" without food provision and with no in-person contact. Anthropometric measurements, laboratory data, and serum PCSK9 protein levels were measured at baseline, 8 weeks, and 6 months. PCSK9 decreased by 16.5% at 8 weeks (201.2 ± 56.3 vs 165.6 ± 58.4 ng/mL; p < 0.001); PCSK9 levels returned to baseline levels at 6 months, after the Maintenance Phase. Change in PCSK9 was associated with change in fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, and AUC insulin, independent of weight loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCSK9 decreased in youth participating in an intensive dietary intervention. Change in HOMA-IR was associated with change in PCSK9, independent of weight loss, suggesting an important relationship with insulin sensitivity. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01080339.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: Amy.Levenson@unc.edu.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Levenson
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Milliren
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Biddinger
authors.affiliation: New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Ebbeling
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: de Ferranti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001900:Boston; D002648:Child; D003376:Counseling; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D015536:Down-Regulation; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D000067940:Glycemic Load; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071449:Proprotein Convertase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; C472125:PCSK9 protein, human; D000071449:Proprotein Convertase 9
keywords: Adolescents; Dyslipidemia; Nutritional Therapy; Obesity; PCSK9