“Breakthrough Nanoparticle Therapy Dissolves Artery Plaques, Offering New Hope for Heart Health”
Plaque buildup in blood vessels, made up of fats, cholesterol, and other substances, can lead to heart attacks and strokes. A new therapy using nanoparticles has been found to safely break down these plaques in tests on pigs.
Plaques can either block arteries directly or cause inflammation known as atherosclerosis, which can result in sudden heart attacks. The inflammation caused by atherosclerosis is particularly dangerous because it often comes without warning.
Researchers found that dead cells in artery walls are not being cleared properly by immune cells due to a molecule called CD47, which sends a “don’t eat me” signal to the immune system. Previous treatments tried blocking CD47 to clear the dead cells, but this caused side effects like anemia because the immune system attacked red blood cells.
In this new study, scientists used CD47-blocking nanoparticles that target specific immune cells involved in plaque inflammation. The therapy worked well in pigs, reducing atherosclerosis without damaging blood cells. PET scans showed less inflammation in the arteries after the treatment, and molecular tests confirmed the findings.
The study also showed that the nanoparticles can be produced on a large enough scale to work in humans, paving the way for future clinical trials.
