The significance of PCSK-9′s level and polymorphism in premature coronary artery disease: Relation to risk and severity

[Display omitted] •PCSK-9(CT&TT) and OLR1 (CG) SNPs are risky for premature CAD.•PCSK-9 and OLR1 SNPS are correlated with CAD severity as assessed by SYNTAX score.•PCSK-9 and caspase-3 serum levels are significantly higher in young STEMI patients.•PSCK-9 and Caspase-3 serum levels are higher in risky SNPs than low risk ones. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK-9) is a circulating protein that plays an important role in lipid metabolism and is linked to inflammation, which has implications for atherosclerosis and its severe cardiac effects. We studied the potential association of the PCSK-9 gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), Oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1- (OLR-1), and caspase-3 serum levels with the risk and severity of premature coronary artery disease (PCAD). The potential contribution of PCSK-9 serum level to the severity of PCAD patients was also assessed. This case-control study included 120 PCAD patients (age 3.2 ng/mL for both, yielding an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.98 and 0.92, sensitivity of 85 %, 98 %, and specificity of 99.5 %, 93 % for PCSK-9 and caspase-3, respectively. The genotypes TT + CT vs. CC of PCSK-9′s rs2483205 SNP presented a higher risk for PCAD and higher SYNTAX scores. Furthermore, the rs11053646 SNP of OLR-1 presented the CG genotype as more risky and having higher SYNTAX scores. Circulating PCSK9 and caspase-3 concentrations were higher in PCAD patients and were associated with CAD severity. The SNPs of PCSK-9 (rs2483205) and OLR-1 (rs11053646) were associated with PCAD and its severity.