Étude de la Structure-Fonction du Prosegment et du domaine CHRD de la PCSK9 humaine
Hypercholesterolemia is one of the major risk factors leading to cardiovascular disease. In this context, we focused our study on a protein that directly influences hypercholesterolemia: PCSK9. Since 2003, the coding gene for PCSK9 has been identified as the third locus responsible for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH3). PCSK9 is a protein secreted mostly from the liver by hepatocytes and has the capacity to recognize, bind and direct to degradation the LDLR receptor. The latter is responsible for the elimination the LDL particles from the plasma. The direct consequence of the LDLR degradation induced by PCSK9 is the harmful accumulation of the bad cholesterol in the blood.   Since PCSK9 activity has undesirable consequences on lipid metabolism homeostasis, we directed our research to characterize this protein to better understand its mechanism of action. Three domains compose PCSK9 structure and we focused on the ‘’structure-function study’’ of two domains, of which roles were still unknown: the prodomain located at the N-terminal extremity and the CHRD domain at the C-terminus of PCSK9.  The first manuscript presented in this thesis brings to light the importance of the acidic N-terminal sequence of the prosegment (amino acids 33-58) and its effect on the activity of PCSK9. It also presents a novel mechanism for fine-tuning the activity of PCSK9, which is enhanced at acidic pHs close to those of late endosomes. The second manuscript dissects further the PCSK9 structure, revealing that the structural requirements of the hinge and the M2 module located in the CHRD domain are not the same for the intracellular and extracellular pathways of PCSK9-induced LDLR degradation. Although the R434W natural mutation in the hinge region is absolutely deleterious for the intracellular activity of PCSK9, it reduces by ~70% the extracellular one. In contrast, the loss of M2 module of the CHRD domain is tolerated for the intracellular activity of PCSK9 but not for the extracellular one. The third manuscript demonstrates for the first time that a chimera containing the prosegment (Fcpro) directly binds PCSK9 and effectively acts as a negative regulator (inhibitor) of its ability to induce LDLR degradation.  Our work presents a new strategy to develop such inhibitors by interfering with the structure of PCSK9 and exploiting the properties of the PCSK9 prosegment and the advantage of its fusion to a humanized Fc of IgG1. In summary, the present research data sheds new light on the functional contribution of the prodomain and the CHRD domain of PCSK9.
CHRD Fc M2 module Structure-function Inhibitor LDLR degradation Hypercholesterolemia Prodomain