PCSK9 and Sepsis: Low-density lipoprotein, through its ability to bind LPS and other toxic bacterial lipids, attenuated the severity of sepsis in animal studies.14 Low-density lipoprotein and its LPS cargo are internalized via LDLRs into hepatocytes, thus preventing the cellular and systemic toxic effects associated with LPS.14 Accordingly, because PCSK9 increases degradation of LDLRs, it decreases LPS uptake into the hepatocytes4,39; thus, strategies that target the PCSK9 gene would be expected to attenuate the toxic effects of LPS and sepsis.