Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have identified a new target to treat atherosclerosis, a condition where plaque clogs arteries and causes major cardiac issues, including stroke and heart attack.
In a new study, published in the journal Cell Reports, they identified an inflammation-reducing molecule—called itaconate (ITA)—that could be the foundation of a new approach to treat such a common and deadly disease.
“We’ve found that itaconate is crucial to the diet’s ability to stabilize plaques and reduce inflammation, which has been a mystery until now,” said Andrei Maiseyeu, associate professor at the Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve’s School of Medicine. “This discovery marks a major leap forward in the understanding of how diet-induced plaque resolution occurs at a molecular level.”
Based on their discovery, Maiseyeu and his team have developed a new treatment: ITA-conjugated lipid nanoparticles (ITA-LNP, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/707,954). This new therapeutic approach allows ITA to accumulate in plaque and bone marrow, where it reduces inflammation and mimics the beneficial effects of LCLFD without requiring drastic lifestyle changes.
“We have already seen its effectiveness in multiple models of atherosclerosis,” Maiseyeu said. “We are optimistic that this will result in better treatments that will greatly lower the long-term risk of heart attacks and strokes while also improving patients’ quality of life.”
