A Synthetic Nanoparticle to Mimic High-Density Lipoprotein for Reverse Cholesterol Transport.

Atherosclerosis is attributed to one of the highest mortality rates in the United States and many other countries. Hypercholesterolemia is a significant risk factor for atherosclerosis. The balance between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein maintains the cholesterol levels by removing or depositing it, respectively. By synthesizing HDL-mimicking nanoparticles (NPs), the therapeutic removal of cholesterol may be plausible upon administration. In addition, HDL has been known to be an excellent transporter of various cargos. The manipulations of such characteristics could yield NPs that can target atherosclerotic plaque sites. To investigate this possibility, we developed HDL-mimicking NPs using FDA-approved polymers. This NP can participate in cholesterol efflux, possibly through a reverse cholesterol transport pathway.