PCSK9

protein-coding

proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, the group of Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin family

Gene summary

This gene encodes a member of the subtilisin-like proprotein convertase family, which includes proteases that process protein and peptide precursors trafficking through regulated or constitutive branches of the secretory pathway. The encoded protein undergoes an autocatalytic processing event with its prosegment in the ER and is constitutively secreted as an inactive protease into the extracellular matrix and trans-Golgi network. It is expressed in liver, intestine and kidney tissues and escorts specific receptors for lysosomal degradation. It plays a role in cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism. Mutations in this gene have been associated with autosomal dominant familial hypercholesterolemia. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2014]

Previous symbols:
  • HCHOLA3

MANE transcript

NM_174936.4

Inheritance

AD, AR

ClinVar variants

P:34U:700B:506

Top phenotype

Hypercholesterolemia, familial, 3

gnomAD constraint

pLI —, LoF o/e 0.97

Max pathogenic AF

—

Genomic locus

chr1:55,039,445-55,064,852

External References & Databases

Transcript & Mutation Effects

hg38 • Region Span ~25.4 kb
Loading mutation effect viewer...

GenCC Phenotypes & Disease Associations

Curated gene-disease validity assertions and inheritance patterns

hypercholesterolemia, autosomal dominant, 3DEFINITIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0011369

Submitter: ClinGen

The relationship between PCSK9 and familial hypercholesterolemia (autosomal dominant) was evaluated using the ClinGen Clinical Validity Framework as of November 14, 2018. Variants in PCSK9 were first reported in humans with this disease as early as 2003 (Abifadel et al., PMID: 12730697). At least 15 variants (missense) have been reported in humans. Evidence supporting this gene-disease relationship includes case-level data, segregation data, and experimental data. Variants in this gene have been reported in at least 17 probands in 6 publications (PMIDs: 12730697, 15772090, 22683120, 26541928, 29127338, 20006333). Variants in this gene segregated with disease in at least 31 family members. The mechanism for disease is heterozygous gain of function (Maxwell et al., 2005; PMID: 16577715), while heterozygous loss of function variants are associated with low levels of LDL cholesterol (Cohen et al., 2005, PMID: 15654334). This gene-disease association is supported by animal models, expression studies, and in vitro functional assays. In summary, PCSK9 is definitively associated with autosomal dominant familial hypercholesterolemia. This has been repeatedly demonstrated in both the research and clinical diagnostic settings, and has been upheld over time.

hypercholesterolemia, autosomal dominant, 3STRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0011369

Submitter: Labcorp Genetics (formerly Invitae)

hypercholesterolemia, autosomal dominant, 3DEFINITIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0011369

Submitter: Ambry Genetics

hypercholesterolemia, autosomal dominant, 3STRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0011369

Submitter: Genomics England PanelApp

homozygous familial hypercholesterolemiaSUPPORTIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AR

Disease ID:MONDO:0018328

Submitter: Orphanet

Clinical Genomic Database (CGD)

Hypercholesterolemia, familial, 3AD

Manifestation: Cardiovascular

Intervention: Cardiovascular

Rationale: Interventions to maintain lipid profiles at a more desirable level can decrease morbidity/mortality, such as relates to CAD

Refs: 10205269; 10764678; 12730697; 15166014; 14727156; 14727179; 15654334; 15772090; 16554528; 16909389; 18354102; 22683120Source: CGD (NHGRI)

ClinVar Associated Diseases & Phenotypes

Reported disease conditions connected to PCSK9 variants in ClinVar

13 Conditions Cataloged
Hypercholesterolemia, autosomal dominant, 3Total: 991
Familial hypercholesterolemiaTotal: 822
Cardiovascular phenotypeTotal: 529
not specifiedTotal: 229
not providedTotal: 222
Hypercholesterolemia, familial, 1Total: 108
HypobetalipoproteinemiaTotal: 58
PCSK9-related disorderTotal: 26

ClinVar Variants & Pathogenicity by Type

Statistics based on transcript NM_174936.4. Only rare variants are included.

We include only reliable ClinVar variants with their consequences to MANE Select, MANE Plus Clinical transcripts, or transcripts with TSL equal to 1. Click a count to filter the variants table below.

Slight differences between displayed counts and ClinVar may occur due to a different transcript/consequence chosen by our variant effect predictor, or because we classify Benign/Likely benign as Likely benign and Pathogenic/Likely pathogenic as Likely pathogenic.

EffectPLPVUSLBBSum
synonymous
16
clinvar
348
clinvar
7
clinvar
371
missense
9
clinvar
21
clinvar
639
clinvar
88
clinvar
5
clinvar
762
nonsense
9
clinvar
21
clinvar
30
start loss
1
clinvar
1
frameshift
1
clinvar
1
clinvar
16
clinvar
36
clinvar
54
splice donor/acceptor (+/-2bp)
2
clinvar
19
clinvar
1
clinvar
22
Total1024700494121240

Highest pathogenic variant AF is 0.00013680205

Loading ClinVar variants...

Transcript Catalog

Annotated transcript isoforms across RefSeq and Ensembl databases

Showing 4 of 27 transcripts
Transcript IDSourceProtein IDCoding ExonsMANE Status
NM_174936.4RefSeqNP_777596.212MANE Select
ENST00000302118.5EnsemblENSP00000303208.512MANE Select
NM_001407240.1RefSeqNP_001394169.113Standard
NM_001407241.1RefSeqNP_001394170.112Standard

Model Organisms & Knockout Phenotypes

Observed phenotypic effects in mouse and zebrafish models

Gene / ModelOrganismObserved Phenotype
pcsk9Danio rerio

Structure: whole organism

Quality: dead

abnormal

Gene Ontology (GO) Annotations & Pathways

Biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components and pathways

Pathways ConsensusPathDB

  • Cholesterol metabolism - Homo sapiens (human)
  • Proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) mediated LDL receptor degradation
  • Evolocumab Mechanism
  • Post-translational protein phosphorylation
  • Post-translational protein modification

Biological Process

  • kidney development
  • liver development
  • negative regulation of receptor recycling
  • positive regulation of receptor internalization
  • triglyceride metabolic process

Molecular Function

  • RNA binding
  • serine-type endopeptidase activity
  • protein binding
  • sodium channel inhibitor activity
  • low-density lipoprotein particle binding

Cellular Component

  • extracellular region
  • extracellular space
  • cytoplasm
  • lysosome
  • lysosomal membrane

gnomAD Constraint

Source: gnomAD

Gene type
protein_coding
Transcript type
protein_coding
Transcript
ENST00000302118
Coding exons
12
Length
25305
Individuals with no LoFs
125581
Homozygous LoFs
0
Heterozygous LoFs
167
Defined
125748
p
0.000664
Z-ScoreObservedExpectedObserved/ExpectedMutation RateTotal Possible
Missense0.2724194350.9630.00002894388
Missense (PolyPhen)126132.20.95311432
Synonymous1.011701880.9070.00001281465
Loss of Function0.1622626.90.9660.00000127285

Population LoF Frequency

PopulationCAFp-valueStatus
African0.00310.0031notable
Latino/Admixed American0.000980.00098rare
Ashkenazi Jewish0.00130.0013notable
East Asian0.000170.00016rare
Finnish0.0000460.000046rare
European (Non-Finnish)0.000450.00043rare
South Asian0.000490.00049rare
Other0.000340.00033rare

dbNSFP Gene Annotations

Source: dbNSFP

Function
FUNCTION: Crucial player in the regulation of plasma cholesterol homeostasis. Binds to low-density lipid receptor family members: low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR), apolipoprotein E receptor (LRP1/APOER) and apolipoprotein receptor 2 (LRP8/APOER2), and promotes their degradation in intracellular acidic compartments (PubMed:18039658). Acts via a non-proteolytic mechanism to enhance the degradation of the hepatic LDLR through a clathrin LDLRAP1/ARH-mediated pathway. May prevent the recycling of LDLR from endosomes to the cell surface or direct it to lysosomes for degradation. Can induce ubiquitination of LDLR leading to its subsequent degradation (PubMed:18799458, PubMed:17461796, PubMed:18197702, PubMed:22074827). Inhibits intracellular degradation of APOB via the autophagosome/lysosome pathway in a LDLR-independent manner. Involved in the disposal of non- acetylated intermediates of BACE1 in the early secretory pathway (PubMed:18660751). Inhibits epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC)- mediated Na(+) absorption by reducing ENaC surface expression primarily by increasing its proteasomal degradation. Regulates neuronal apoptosis via modulation of LRP8/APOER2 levels and related anti-apoptotic signaling pathways. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:17461796, ECO:0000269|PubMed:18039658, ECO:0000269|PubMed:18197702, ECO:0000269|PubMed:18660751, ECO:0000269|PubMed:18799458, ECO:0000269|PubMed:22074827, ECO:0000269|PubMed:22493497, ECO:0000269|PubMed:22580899}.;
Disease
DISEASE: Hypercholesterolemia, autosomal dominant, 3 (HCHOLA3) [MIM:603776]: A familial condition characterized by elevated circulating cholesterol contained in either low-density lipoproteins alone or also in very-low-density lipoproteins. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:12730697, ECO:0000269|PubMed:18799458, ECO:0000269|PubMed:24808179}. Note=The disease is caused by mutations affecting the gene represented in this entry.;

Recessive Scores

pRec
0.196

Intolerance Scores

LoFtool
0.467
RVIS EVS
0.94
RVIS percentile EVS
89.89

Essentials

Essential (CRISPR)
N
Essential (CRISPR2)
N
Essential (gene trap)
N
Indispensability pred.
E
Indispensability score
0.557

Gene Damage Prediction

AllRecessiveDominant
MendelianMediumMediumMedium
Primary ImmunodeficiencyMediumMediumMedium
CancerMediumMediumMedium
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