Abstract
Purpose of Review
This review aims to summarize the most recently published literature highlighting the potential of pharmacological inhibition of ANGPTL3 in treating patients suffering from dyslipidemias. The rational for this strategy will be discussed considering evidence describing the role of ANGPTL3 in lipid metabolism and the consequences of its deficiency in humans.
Recent Findings
Recent trials have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of ANGPTL3 inhibition in treating homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia even in those patients carrying biallelic null/null variants, thus supporting the notion that the LDL-lowering effect of ANGPLT3 inhibition is LDLR-independent. The use of ANGPTL3 inhibition strategies has expanded its indications in hypertrygliceridemic patients with functional lipoprotein lipase activity. Contemporarily, the pharmacological research is exploring novel approaches to ANGPTL3 inhibition such as the use of a small interfering RNA targeting the ANGPTL3 transcript in the liver, a protein-based vaccine against ANGPTL3, and a CRISP-Cas-9 method for a liver-selective knock-out of ANGPTL3 gene.
Summary
First, we will describe the molecular function of ANGPTL3 in lipoprotein metabolism. Then, we will revise the clinical characteristics of individuals carrying loss-of-function mutations of ANGPTL3, a rare condition known as familial hypobetalipoproteinemia type 2 (FHBL2) that represents a unique human model of ANGPTL3 deficiency. Finally, we will examine the lipid-lowering potential of pharmacological inhibition of ANGPTL3 based on the results of clinical trials employing Evinacumab, the first approved fully humanized monoclonal antibody against ANGPTL3. The future perspectives for ANGPTL3 inhibition will also be revised.
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References
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Laura D’Erasmo has received personal fees for public speaking, consultancy or grant support from Amryt Pharmaceuticals, Akcea Therapeutics, Pfizer, Amgen, SOBI and Sanofi.
Marcello Arca has received research grant support from Amryt Pharmaceutical, Amgen, IONIS, Akcea Therapeutics, Pfizer and Sanofi; has served as a consultant for Amgen, Aegerion, Akcea Therapeutics, Regeneron, Sanofi and Alfasigma and received lecturing fees from Amgen, Amryt Pharmaceutical, Pfizer, Sanofi and AlfaSigma.
Simone Bini has received personal fees for public speaking from Akcea Therapeutics and SOBI.
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Bini, S., Tramontano, D., Minicocci, I. et al. How ANGPTL3 Inhibition Will Help Our Clinical Practice?. Curr Atheroscler Rep 25, 19–29 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-022-01076-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-022-01076-w