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Published online: 2025-01-08

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Evaluating the effect of the antiPCSK9 vaccine on systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in an experimental mouse mode

Amir Abbas Momtazi-Borojeni12, Maciej Banach3456, Amirhossein Sahebkar789
DOI: 10.5603/cj.100585
Pubmed: 39776050

Abstract

Background: To investigate whether the antiPCSK9 vaccine can affect the CRP and oxidative stress (OS) during acute systemic inflammation.

Methods: Male albino mice were randomly divided into three groups: non-treated mice (the sham group), treated with a nonspecific stimulator of the immune response — Freund’s complete adjuvant (CFA; the CFA group), and vaccinated mice treated with CFA (the vaccine group). The vaccine group was subcutaneously immunized with the antiPCSK9 formulation, 4 × in bi-weekly intervals. To induce inflammation, all mice were subjected to the CFA challenge after the vaccination plan. The hsCRP level and OS status were evaluated by a mouse CRP ELISA kit and the pro-oxidant antioxidant balance (PAB) assay, respectively.

Results: The vaccine induced a high-titter IgG antiPCSK9 antibody, which was accompanied with a significant PCSK9 reduction (–24.7% and –28.5% compared with the sham and CFA group, respectively), and the inhibition of PCSK9/LDLR interaction (–27.8% and –29.4%, respectively). hsCRP was significantly increased in the vaccine and CFA groups by 225% and 274% respectively, when compared with the sham group; however, it was non-significantly decreased (–18%; p = 0.520) in the vaccine group in comparison with the CFA group. The PAB values indicated that OS was significantly increased in the CFA group (by 72.7%) and the vaccine group (by 76%) when compared to the sham group; however, there was no significant difference in the PAB values between the vaccine and CFA groups.

Conclusion: The antiPCSK9 vaccine failed to significantly reduce the serum hs-CRP and OS induced in the CFA-challenged albino mice.

Keywords: C-reactive proteininflammationoxidative stressPCSK9 vaccine

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