Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is one of the proteins that contribute to an elevated level of cholesterol and occurrence of atherosclerosis – a serious civilisation disease.
The work entitled „Finding inhibitors for PCSK9 using computational methods” describes the method for finding potential PCSK9 inhibitors by the use of calculation methods (thanks to advanced computer technologies). In the future such chemical compounds could become new anti-atherosclerotic drugs.
- They could partially replace the statins that have been known for a long time or be used together with them so as to prevent blood vessel blockage that leads to fatal strokes and heart attacks – explains dr Michał Ponczek.
Calculation methods used in biology and chemistry and applied to predict new drugs are gaining more and more global recognition not only at universities, but also in the pharmaceutical and medical industries.
Cardiovascular diseases are, next to cancer, one of the most common causes of death among men and women aged 45-59, and in the case of people above 60 years of age the most common one. According to the report by the Statistics Poland “Trwanie życia w 2019 roku”
[Life Expectancy in 2019] in 2018 more than 130,000 Poles died because of it.
Source: PLOS ONE, dr hab. Michał Ponczek (Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, UL)
Edit: Promotion Centre, UL