Multifunctional Prussian blue nanozymes alleviate atherosclerosis through inhibiting the inflammation feedback loop

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease driven by lipids, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and proinflammatory cytokines, creating a positive feedback loop in plaques.
• Traditional nanozymes have limitations in addressing the complex inflammatory and lipid-driven nature of AS.
• Prussian blue (PB) nanozymes offer potential due to ROS scavenging, anti-inflammatory properties, and photothermal effects aiding lipid removal from foam cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and evaluate a multifunctional nanozyme, BSA@PB/Cur, for atherosclerosis treatment.
• To investigate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of BSA@PB/Cur in mitigating AS hallmarks.
• To explore the potential of BSA@PB/Cur in disrupting the inflammatory feedback loop within the atherosclerotic plaque microenvironment.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of the multifunctional nanozyme BSA@PB/Cur via self-assembly of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with Prussian blue (PB) and encapsulation of curcumin (Cur).
• In vitro assessment of ROS scavenging, inhibition of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β), and enhancement of cholesterol efflux in foam cells.
• In vivo evaluation of plaque targeting, lipid efflux, and matrix metalloproteinase expression in an atherosclerosis model.

Main Results:

• In vitro studies demonstrated BSA@PB/Cur's ability to scavenge ROS, reduce TNF-α and IL-1β expression, and promote cholesterol efflux by enhancing ABCA1 and ABCG1 expression, thereby inhibiting foam cell formation.
• In vivo experiments showed that BSA@PB/Cur effectively targeted plaques, significantly reduced lipid content, and decreased matrix metalloproteinase expression.
• The nanozyme demonstrated significant potential in alleviating the inflammatory positive feedback loop characteristic of atherosclerotic plaques.

Conclusions:

• BSA@PB/Cur is a multifunctional nanozyme with significant potential for treating atherosclerosis.
• The nanozyme effectively addresses key pathological features of AS, including ROS, inflammation, and lipid accumulation.
• This study presents a promising therapeutic strategy for managing the complex plaque microenvironment in atherosclerosis.