Selective removal of 7-ketocholesterol by a novel atherosclerosis therapeutic candidate reverts foam cells to a macrophage-like phenotype.

Background And Aims: The removal of the toxic oxidized cholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol (7KC), from cells through the administration of therapeutics has the potential to treat atherosclerosis and various other pathologies. While cholesterol is a necessary building block for homeostasis, oxidation of cholesterol can lead to the formation of toxic oxysterols with 7KC being the most prominent. 7KC is primarily formed through the non-enzymatic oxidation of cholesterol and is found in high levels in oxidized LDL (oxLDL) particles, which are highly implicated in heart disease.

Selective Removal of 7KC by a Novel Atherosclerosis Therapeutic Candidate Reverts Foam Cells to a Macrophage-like Phenotype.

The removal of the toxic oxidized cholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol (7KC), from cells through the administration of therapeutics has the potential to treat atherosclerosis and various other pathologies. While cholesterol is a necessary building block for homeostasis, oxidation of cholesterol can lead to the formation of toxic oxysterols involved in various pathologies, the most prominent of which is 7KC, which is formed through the non-enzymatic oxidation of cholesterol. Oxidized LDL (oxLDL) particles, highly implicated in heart disease, contain high levels of 7KC, and molecular 7KC is implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, including multiple sclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, sickle cell anemia, and multiple age related diseases.

Cyclodextrin dimers: A versatile approach to optimizing encapsulation and their application to therapeutic extraction of toxic oxysterols.

We have developed a novel class of specifically engineered, dimerized cyclodextrin (CD) nanostructures for the encapsulation of toxic biomolecules such as 7-ketocholesterol (7KC). 7KC accumulates over time and causes dysfunction in many cell types, linking it to several age-related diseases including atherosclerosis and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Presently, treatments for these diseases are invasive, expensive, and show limited benefits.

Adsorption and desorption of cationic malachite green dye on cellulose nanofibril aerogels.

Ultra-light aerogels have been assembled from cellulose nanofibrils into hierarchically macroporous (several hundred μm) honeycomb cellular structure surrounded with mesoporous (8-60nm) thin walls. The high specific surface (193m/g) and surface carboxyl content (1.29mmol/g) of these aerogels were demonstrated to be highly capable of removing cationic malachite green (MG) dye from aqueous media.