Longitudinal variation of serum PCSK9 in ulcerative colitis: association with disease activity, T helper 1/2/17 cells, and clinical response of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor.

Aims: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) modulates CD4 T cell differentiation and inflammatory response, the latter ones mediate ulcerative colitis (UC) initiation. This study intended to explore the correlation of serum PCSK9 with disease activity, T helper (h)1/Th2/Th17 cells, and clinical response of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) in UC patients.

Methods: In 65 UC patients underwent TNFi treatment, serum PCSK9 was evaluated at baseline (W0), week (W)2, W6, and W12 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays; meanwhile, Th1/Th2/Th17 cells were determined at W0 by flow cytometry.