Nanoparticle-Mediated Therapeutics for Atherosclerosis Management

Atherosclerosis is driven by lipid accumulation, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress within arterial walls, leading to plaque formation and vascular occlusion. Conventional pharmacological approaches are often limited by systemic side-effects and suboptimal plaque targeting. Nanoparticle-mediated therapeutics offer precise delivery of anti-atherogenic agents—such as statins, anti-inflammatory drugs or nucleic acids—directly to lesion sites. Engineered nanocarriers can exploit enhanced permeability of inflamed endothelium, cell-specific ligand recognition or biomimetic membrane coatings to reduce off-target distribution. Stimuli-responsive designs release cargo in response to elevated reactive oxygen species, acidic pH or enzymatic activity characteristic of atherosclerotic niches. Inorganic nanozymes and hybrid platforms further combine catalytic scavenging of oxidative species with payload delivery. Collectively, these advances promise improved efficacy and a new generation of theranostic strategies that integrate targeted imaging and therapy within a single nanoplatform, with global relevance for cardiovascular disease management.

Research from Nature Portfolio

One study introduced macrophage-derived membrane-coated, reactive oxygen species-responsive nanoparticles that carry anti-atherosclerotic drugs. The biomimetic coating both evades immune clearance and scavenges pro-inflammatory cytokines, while the ROS-responsive core selectively releases therapeutic cargo at lesion sites. This dual action synergistically reduces plaque burden and local inflammation in preclinical models.

Another work described the assembly of cerium-based nanozymes assisted by zoledronic acid to create multifunctional ceria nanocomposites. These constructs display multienzyme activity to regulate oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways. A secondary platelet membrane coating confers lesion specificity, enabling targeted suppression of foam cell formation and effective plaque stabilisation.

Nanoparticle-Mediated Therapeutics for Atherosclerosis Management publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanoparticle-mediated therapeutics for atherosclerosis management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Nanoparticle: A structure with dimensions typically between 1 and 100 nanometres, engineered to carry therapeutic or diagnostic agents.

Biomimetic coating: A surface layer derived from natural cell membranes (e.g., macrophage or platelet) that imparts immune evasion and lesion homing properties.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules (e.g., H₂O₂) abundant in inflammatory microenvironments, often used as triggers for controlled drug release.

Ligand targeting: Attachment of specific peptides, antibodies or small-molecules to nanoparticle surfaces to bind selectively to cellular receptors upregulated in disease sites.

Hybrid nanozyme: A nanomaterial that mimics enzymatic activity (e.g., catalase-like ROS scavenging) while carrying additional therapeutic functions.

Theranostics: The integration of therapy and diagnostics in a single platform, enabling simultaneous disease imaging and treatment delivery.

References

1. Advances in the treatment of atherosclerosis with ligand‐modified nanocarriers. Exploration (2023).
2. Nanomedicine for Diagnosis and Treatment of Atherosclerosis. Advanced Science (2023).
3. Treatment of atherosclerosis by macrophage-biomimetic nanoparticles via targeted pharmacotherapy and sequestration of proinflammatory cytokines. Nature Communications (2020).
4. Small molecule-assisted assembly of multifunctional ceria nanozymes for synergistic treatment of atherosclerosis. Nature Communications (2022).
5. Platelet Membrane-Coated Nanocarriers Targeting Plaques to Deliver Anti-CD47 Antibody for Atherosclerotic Therapy. Research (2022).