ACAT inhibitors as antiatherosclerotic agents: compounds and mechanisms

Atherosclerosis is a major death cause in western industrialized countries. A diagnosing system, medical prevention, and treatment of atherosclerosis is not sufficient so far. A direct acting antiatherosclerotic agent is eagerly waited. ACAT inhibitor approach could provide such an agent. In the formation of atherosclerosis, cholesteryl esters, which are the lipids which accumulate in atheromatous plaques by an aid of macrophages and smooth muscle cells, forming foam cells, may play an important role. ACAT enzyme is responsible for the acylation of cholesterol to cholesteryl esters, a transformation which can be essential in not only cholesteryl esters accumulation at arterial walls but also the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine and the excretion of cholesterol in the liver. From these points, ACAT inhibitors might work against atherosclerosis in three different ways: first, cholesteryl ester accumulation inhibition at arterial walls could be a direct antiatherosclerotic effect; second, cholesterol absorption inhibition at the intestine; and third, cholesterol excretion acceleration at the liver, while the later two effects would result in a reduction of blood cholesterol level--a major risk factor of atherosclerosis. Taking account of this discussion, the ACAT inhibitors would be potent antiatherosclerotic agents. Medicinal research has been contributing full strength to produce an ultimate compound. These efforts should provide a drug which will be useful to patients.