摘要

The familial hypercholesterolemias (FHs) are inherited disorders of lipoprotein metabolism that are among the most prevalent genetically inherited disorders. Various genetic mutations ultimately lead to greatly increased low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels over a lifetime. Consequently, patients with FH develop coronary artery disease at significantly earlier ages and at a greater frequency than the general population. Current therapies revolve around aggressive lifestyle modifications, cholesterol-lowering medications, and in some cases LDL apheresis. Despite maximal medical therapy, LDL-C is not sufficiently reduced in some patients, and they remain at a substantially increased risk of coronary heart disease. Recent advances in genetic-based pharmacology have enabled the development of three novel classes of medications for FH. Two of those compounds, mipomersen and lomitapide, result in decreased LDL-C production and were approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the past 18months for treatment of homozygous FH. Mipomersen is an antisense oligonucleotide that inhibits the translation of apolipoprotein B-100, and lomitapide is an inhibitor of the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, which prevents the incorporation of triglycerides into lipoproteins. A third class of drugs, the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors, is still in development, although studies in patients with heterozygous or receptor-defective homozygous FH have demonstrated substantial reductions in LDL-C by decreasing the degradation of LDL receptors. Development of these novel treatments for hypercholesterolemia resulted from the application of known genetic mutations and is the focus of this review.

  • 出版日期2014-9