daniele dipietro @danidipie - Twitter Profile

8 months ago

Researchers at the University of Milan have identified that an enzyme called phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) can effectively mobilize cholesterol from arterial plaques, sending it back into the bloodstream for natural disposal. This discovery is a potential game-changer because, unlike current treatments that primarily focus on preventing new plaque from forming, this method actually targets and dissolves existing blockages. Atherosclerosis occurs when cholesterol and inflammatory cells create stable, hardened deposits in artery walls that resist traditional removal methods. When these plaques become too large, they severely restrict blood flow, often necessitating invasive procedures like stents or bypass surgery to prevent heart attacks or strokes. The PLTP enzyme acts as a natural extraction system, pulling cholesterol out of the arterial wall and transferring it to HDL, or "good cholesterol," for transport to the liver. Scientists found that many people have naturally low levels of this activity due to genetic factors, which is why they have developed a gene therapy to boost PLTP expression directly where it is needed most. In animal models, this localized boost in enzyme activity resulted in a 40% reduction in plaque volume in just three months, allowing narrowed arteries to reopen to nearly their original diameter. These results suggest that plaques not only become smaller but also more stable, which significantly lowers the risk of a sudden rupture that could cause a cardiac event. While human clinical trials are currently focusing on patients with severe coronary artery disease who cannot undergo surgery, the long-term goal is a biological "reversal" of decades of arterial damage. If successful, this could shift cardiovascular medicine away from mechanical bypasses and toward a more natural, enzymatic cleaning of the circulatory system.