Improving sepsis outcomes with anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody therapy

Sepsis is a severe disorder that occurs when human defense cells fight off an infection in an uncontrolled manner that can cause organ damage and death. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for sepsis, and there is a limited understanding of the mechanisms driving this deadly disorder.

During infection, toxins are released in the blood and carried inside cholesterol particles, which are removed from the blood by the liver. People with decreased levels of PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9), a protein that normally regulates cholesterol particle levels, seem to have an increased ability to clear toxins from their blood. This project aims to test if inhibiting PCSK9 increases the removal of toxins from blood during sepsis and reduces organ damage and mortality. The findings of this research can lead to improved understanding and management of sepsis, and potentially a new treatment for sepsis that could save thousands of lives every year in the future.