Abstract
Introduction: Atorvastatin hinders cardiovascular disease by reducing cholesterol levels. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) enhances the secretion of insulin by binding to LDL receptor. Sortilin is committed in the transfer of intracellular proteins through the plasma membrane.
Objectives: The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of atorvastatin consumption on alterations in the levels of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA-R), PCSK9 and sortilin in diabetic patients and pre-diabetics.
Patients and Methods: This study was carried out on 80 individuals including normal subjects, diabetic patients and pre-diabetics. The participated individuals were divided as control group (i) (healthy individuals without diabetes mellitus), diabetic group receiving statin (ii), diabetic group not receiving statin (iii), pre-diabetic group receiving statin (iv) and pre-diabetic group not receiving statin (v). Levels of HMG-COA-R, PCSK9 and sortilin were determined by ELISA method.
Results: In diabetics and pre-diabetics taking atorvastatin, the level of HMG-COA-R was not altered significantly compared to diabetics and pre-diabetics not taking atorvastatin, respectively (P> 0.05). The serum PCSK9 level in diabetics and pre-diabetics was significantly higher than the healthy individuals (P= 0.001). Additionally, the serum PCSK9 level in diabetics and pre-diabetics receiving atorvastatin was significantly higher than diabetics and pre-diabetics not receiving atorvastatin, respectively (P=0.001). The serum sortilin level in diabetics and pre-diabetics was significantly higher than the healthy individuals (P=0.001). In addition, the serum sortilin level in pre-diabetics receiving atorvastatin was significantly higher than pre-diabetics not receiving atorvastatin (P=0.001).
Conclusion: Atorvastatin improved insulin secretion and sensitivity by increasing serum sortilin and PCSK9 levels. Thereby, it prevented the development of diabetes in diabetics and the progression of pre-diabetes to diabetes in pre-diabetics.