Beyond LDL Cholesterol, a New Role for PCSK9

E levated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) lev- els in the plasma is the most important causative factor of atherosclerosis and associated ischemic cardiovascular diseases.The LDL receptor (LDLR) is the preferential pathway through which LDLs are cleared from the circulation.LDLs bound to the LDLR are internalized into clathrin-coated pits and subsequently undergo lysosomal degradation, whereas the LDLR is recycled back to the plasma membrane.