Research Highlight

New Nanoparticle Drug Combination Treats and Prevents Atherosclerosis

Dr. Ji-Ho Park’s group developed a cargo-switching nanoparticle (CSNP) system that can bind to cholesterol and then release an anti-inflammatory drug (statin) in a plaque-containing microenvironment. The as-developed CSNP had a core-shell structure, with a core composed of cyclodextrin and statin and a shell of phospholipids. In vitro, once interacting with cholesterol, which had a higher affinity to cyclodextrin than statin, the CSNP can instantly release statin and scavenge cholesterol by cargo-switching. In vivo, in a mouse model of atherosclerosis, the CSNP administered systemically can effectively target atherosclerotic plaques and reduce their associated cholesterol and macrophages, leading to prevention of atherogenesis and regression of established plaques....read more