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Lusiki Z, Blom D, Soko ND, Malema S, Jones E, Rayner B, Blackburn J, Sinxadi P, Dandara MT, Dandara C. Major Genetic Drivers of Statin Treatment Response in African Populations and Pharmacogenetics of Dyslipidemia Through a One Health Lens. OMICS : A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2024; 28:261-279. [PMID: 37956269 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2023.0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
A One Health lens is increasingly significant to address the intertwined challenges in planetary health concerned with the health of humans, nonhuman animals, plants, and ecosystems. A One Health approach can benefit the public health systems in Africa that are overburdened by noncommunicable, infectious, and environmental diseases. Notably, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the previously overlooked two-fold importance of pharmacogenetics (PGx), for individually tailored treatment of noncommunicable diseases and environmental pathogens. For example, dyslipidemia, a common cardiometabolic risk factor, has been identified as an independent COVID-19 severity risk factor. Observational data suggest that patients with COVID-19 infection receiving lipid-lowering therapy may have better outcomes. However, among African patients, the response to these drugs varies from patient to patient, pointing to the possible contribution of genetic variation in important pharmacogenes. The PGx of lipid-lowering therapies may underlie differences in treatment responses observed among dyslipidemia patients as well as patients comorbid with COVID-19 and dyslipidemia. Genetic variations in APOE, ABCB1, CETP, CYP2C9, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, HMGCR, LDLR, NPC1L1, and SLCO1B1 genes affect the pharmacogenomics of statins, and they have individually been linked to differential responses to dyslipidemia and COVID-19 treatment. African populations are underrepresented in PGx research. This leads to poor accounting of additional diverse genetic variants that could be important in understanding interindividual and between-population variations in therapeutic responses to dyslipidemia and COVID-19. This expert review examines and synthesizes the salient and priority PGx variations, as seen through a One Health lens in Africa, to improve and inform personalized medicine in both dyslipidemia and COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizo Lusiki
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Platform for Pharmacogenomics Research and Translation (PREMED) Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Dirk Blom
- Platform for Pharmacogenomics Research and Translation (PREMED) Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Lipidology and Cape Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nyarai D Soko
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Platform for Pharmacogenomics Research and Translation (PREMED) Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Smangele Malema
- Platform for Pharmacogenomics Research and Translation (PREMED) Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Erika Jones
- Platform for Pharmacogenomics Research and Translation (PREMED) Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Brian Rayner
- Platform for Pharmacogenomics Research and Translation (PREMED) Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Blackburn
- Division of Chemical and Systems Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Phumla Sinxadi
- Platform for Pharmacogenomics Research and Translation (PREMED) Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Michelle T Dandara
- Platform for Pharmacogenomics Research and Translation (PREMED) Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Collet Dandara
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Platform for Pharmacogenomics Research and Translation (PREMED) Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
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Vuorio A, Raal F, Kovanen PT. Familial hypercholesterolemia: The nexus of endothelial dysfunction and lipoprotein metabolism in COVID-19. Curr Opin Lipidol 2023; 34:119-125. [PMID: 36924390 DOI: 10.1097/mol.0000000000000876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) are at increased risk for COVID-19 cardiovascular complications in the acute phase of the infection. Elevated levels of LDL-C and often lipoprotein(a) are present from birth and lead to endothelial dysfunction, which is aggravated by a direct viral attack of the endothelial cells and their exposure to the toxic levels of circulating proinflammatory and prothrombotic mediators during the hyperinflammatory reaction typical of COVID-19. RECENT FINDINGS Evidence to date shows the benefit of lipid-lowering therapy in patients with COVID-19. In HeFH patients who are at much higher cardiovascular risk, the focus should, therefore, be on the effective lowering of LDL-C levels, the root cause of the greater cardiovascular vulnerability to COVID-19 infection in these patients. The ongoing use of statins and other lipid-lowering therapies should be encouraged during the ongoing COVID pandemic to mitigate the risk of cardiovascular complications from COVID-19, particularly in HeFH patients. SUMMARY Epidemiologic registry data show that the incidence of myocardial infarction is increased in SARS-CoV-2-infected HeFH patients. There is a need to study whether the risk for acute cardiovascular events is increased in the long-term and if there are changes in lipid metabolism after SARS-CoV infection(s) in patients with HeFH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alpo Vuorio
- Mehiläinen Airport Health Centre, Vantaa
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Frederick Raal
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Petri T Kovanen
- Wihuri Research Institute, Atherosclerosis Research Laboratory, Helsinki, Finland
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Vuorio A, Kovanen PT, Raal F. Statin Needs to be Continued During Paxlovid Therapy in COVID-19. Clin Infect Dis 2022; 75:2281-2282. [PMID: 35975652 PMCID: PMC9494321 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alpo Vuorio
- Mehiläinen Airport Health Centre, Vantaa, Finland
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Frederick Raal
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Liu C, Yan W, Shi J, Wang S, Peng A, Chen Y, Huang K. Biological Actions, Implications, and Cautions of Statins Therapy in COVID-19. Front Nutr 2022; 9:927092. [PMID: 35811982 PMCID: PMC9257176 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.927092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) showed worse prognosis and higher mortality in individuals with obesity. Dyslipidemia is a major link between obesity and COVID-19 severity. Statins as the most common lipid regulating drugs have shown favorable effects in various pathophysiological states. Importantly, accumulating observational studies have suggested that statin use is associated with reduced risk of progressing to severe illness and in-hospital death in COVID-19 patients. Possible explanations underlie these protective impacts include their abilities of reducing cholesterol, suppressing viral entry and replication, anti-inflammation and immunomodulatory effects, as well as anti-thrombosis and anti-oxidative properties. Despite these benefits, statin therapies have side effects that should be considered, such as elevated creatinine kinase, liver enzyme and serum glucose levels, which are already elevated in severe COVID-19. Concerns are also raised whether statins interfere with the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. Randomized controlled trials are being conducted worldwide to confirm the values of statin use for COVID-19 treatment. Generally, the results suggest no necessity to discontinue statin use, and no evidence suggesting interference between statins and COVID-19 vaccines. However, concomitant administration of statins and COVID-19 antiviral drug Paxlovid may increase statin exposure and the risk of adverse effects, because most statins are metabolized mainly through CYP3A4 which is potently inhibited by ritonavir, a major component of Paxlovid. Therefore, more clinical/preclinical studies are still warranted to understand the benefits, harms and mechanisms of statin use in the context of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyu Liu
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wanyao Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiajian Shi
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shun Wang
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Anlin Peng
- Wuhan Third Hospital, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuchen Chen
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Yuchen Chen
| | - Kun Huang
- Tongji School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Tongji-Rongcheng Center for Biomedicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Vuorio A, Raal F, Ijäs P, Kaste M, Kovanen PT. Long-Term Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Challenges Posed by COVID-19 in Patients With Familial Hypercholesterolemia. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:890141. [PMID: 35645833 PMCID: PMC9131188 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.890141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alpo Vuorio
- Mehiläinen, Airport Health Center, Vantaa, Finland.,Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Frederick Raal
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Petra Ijäs
- University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Markku Kaste
- University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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Prevention of Cardiovascular Burden in COVID-19 Patients Suffering from Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A Global Challenge. Cardiol Ther 2021; 11:1-7. [PMID: 34787816 PMCID: PMC8596860 DOI: 10.1007/s40119-021-00245-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
A recent meta-analysis of over 20,000 individuals showed that hospitalized COVID-19 patients with acute myocardial injury had more than fourfold higher mortality than those without such injury. Since the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates already existing health inequalities, there is an urgent need to create measures to protect the most vulnerable patient groups, including those with a pre-existing increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). A typical example is familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a common genetic disease affecting over 30 million individuals worldwide. If left untreated or undertreated, FH patients suffer from complications of premature ASCVD, such as acute coronary syndromes, resulting in acute myocardial injury/infarction. A recent population-based analysis provided strong evidence suggesting that COVID-19 poses an even higher risk for myocardial injury in FH patients. From the long-term preventive point of view, it is important to note that, in addition to the acutely elevated risk of myocardial injury, an elevated risk of ASCVD and its complications will persist after COVID-19. The decline in outpatient preventive care during the pandemic is likely to influence ASCVD risk and outcomes, particularly in high-risk patients, such as those with FH. This commentary aims to raise global awareness of the challenges that clinicians treating FH patients continue to face during the COVID-19 pandemic, with two low- to middle-income countries, South Africa and Brazil, serving as examples.
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Song Y, Liu J, Zhao K, Gao L, Zhao J. Cholesterol-induced toxicity: An integrated view of the role of cholesterol in multiple diseases. Cell Metab 2021; 33:1911-1925. [PMID: 34562355 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
High levels of cholesterol are generally considered to be associated with atherosclerosis. In the past two decades, however, a number of studies have shown that excess cholesterol accumulation in various tissues and organs plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of multiple diseases. Here, we summarize the effects of excess cholesterol on disease pathogenesis, including liver diseases, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, pituitary-thyroid axis dysfunction, immune disorders, and COVID-19, while proposing that excess cholesterol-induced toxicity is ubiquitous. We believe this concept will help broaden the appreciation of the toxic effect of excess cholesterol, and thus potentially expand the therapeutic use of cholesterol-lowering medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfeng Song
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Shandong Institute of Endocrine & Metabolic Disease, Jinan, Shandong 250062, China
| | - Junjun Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Shandong Institute of Endocrine & Metabolic Disease, Jinan, Shandong 250062, China
| | - Ke Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Shandong Institute of Endocrine & Metabolic Disease, Jinan, Shandong 250062, China
| | - Ling Gao
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Shandong Institute of Endocrine & Metabolic Disease, Jinan, Shandong 250062, China
| | - Jiajun Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China; Shandong Institute of Endocrine & Metabolic Disease, Jinan, Shandong 250062, China.
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