New Nanoparticle Nanotherapy Infusion Cleans Arteries

Image: L-R: Plaque levels in an artery before and after the nanotherapy infusion (Photo courtesy of Michigan State University)

Inflammation of the arteries serves as a major precursor and contributor to cardiovascular disease, being linked to the accumulation of harmful plaque within the arteries. There is a pressing need for advanced treatments aimed at targeting this inflammation in patients. Researchers have now tested a novel nanoparticle nanotherapy infusion that specifically targets inflammation and activates the immune system to aid in the removal of arterial plaque.

In cases of artery blockage, there are two primary types. In the first type, the artery can be severely blocked (for instance, 95% to 99% blockage), often leading to symptoms such as chest pain, pressure, nausea, and dizziness. In these situations, doctors typically insert a stent to improve blood flow. The second type involves highly inflammatory plaque that is prone to rupture, which can result in artery blockages in other areas of the body. This type is responsible for most heart attacks. Since such plaques do not necessarily obstruct a significant portion of the artery, and the consequences of a rupture can lead to sudden and complete blockage of blood flow, a heart attack can appear to occur unexpectedly. Researchers at Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI, USA) have developed nanoparticles—materials thinner than a human hair—to create a nanotherapy infusion. This therapy selectively targets a specific type of immune cell that infiltrates and contributes to the plaque. These treated immune cells effectively "consume" portions of the plaque core, thereby removing it from the artery wall and reducing inflammation in the blood vessels.

In prior studies, the researchers tested the infusion on mice and have now progressed to using pig models to validate the infusion's effectiveness and, importantly, its absence of side effects due to precise immune targeting. Utilizing positron-emission tomography (PET) scans, they measured the therapy's impact on pig arteries. The findings indicated that it is feasible to reduce inflammation levels in the plaque based on this clinically utilized PET imaging technique, along with molecular assays. Just as crucially, the researchers observed none of the expected side effects that might occur if the therapy were not precisely targeted. Earlier experiments with mice required hundreds of microliters of the nanotherapy infusion; however, the team has recently scaled up production to liters, achieving measurable effects in pigs. These volumes are now within the range required for human applications. This study, published in Nature Communications, marks an important advancement toward the translation of safer, more effective cardiovascular therapies into patient clinical trials.