Fluorescent gold nanoclusters possess multiple actions against atherosclerosis

Yi-Nan Lee; Yih-Jer Wu; Cheng-Huang Su; Bo-Jeng Wang; Sheng-Hsun Yang; Hsin-I Lee; Yen-Hung Chou; Ting-Yi Tien; Chao-Feng Lin; Wen-Hsiung Chan; Ching-Hu Chung; Shin-Wei Wang; Hung-I Yeh

doi:10.1016/j.redox.2024.103427

Fluorescent gold nanoclusters possess multiple actions against atherosclerosis

Redox Biol. 2024 Nov 12:78:103427. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103427. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Cardiovascular Center, Department of Internal Medicine, and Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, 10449, Taiwan.
² Cardiovascular Center, Department of Internal Medicine, and Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, 10449, Taiwan; Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City, 25245, Taiwan.
³ Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City, 25245, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Bioscience Technology and Center for Nanotechnology, Chung Yuan Christian University, Zhongbei Road, Zhongli District, Taoyuan City, 32023, Taiwan.
⁵ Institute of Biomedical Sciences, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City, 25245, Taiwan.
⁶ Cardiovascular Center, Department of Internal Medicine, and Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, 10449, Taiwan. Electronic address: hiyeh@mmh.org.tw.

PMID: 39566163
DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103427

Abstract

Atherosclerosis caused major morbidity and mortality worldwide. Molecules possessing lipid-lowering and/or anti-inflammatory properties are potential druggable targets against atherosclerosis. We examined the anti-atherosclerotic effects of fluorescent gold nanoclusters (FANC), which were dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA)-capped 2-nm gold nanoparticles. We evaluated the 8-week effects of FANC in Western-type diet-fed ApoE-deficient mice by either continuous intraperitoneal delivery (20 μM, 50 μl weekly) or via drinking water (300 nM). FANC reduced aortic atheroma burden, serum total cholesterol, and oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal levels. FANC attenuated hepatic lipid deposit, with changed expression of lipid homeostasis-related genes HMGCR, SREBP, PCSK9, and LDLR in a pattern similar to mice treated with ezetimibe. FANC also inhibited intestinal cholesterol absorption, resembling the action of ezetimibe. The lipid-lowering and anti-atherosclerotic effects of FANC reappeared in Western-type diet-fed LDLr-deficient mice. FANC bound insulin receptor β (IRβ) via DHLA, leading to AKT activation. However, unlike insulin, which also bound IRβ to activate AKT to induce HO-1, activation of AKT by FANC was independent of HO-1 expression in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). Alternatively, FANC up-regulated NRF2, interfered the binding of KEAP1 to NRF2, and promoted KEAP1 degradation to free NRF2 for nuclear entry to induce HO-1 that suppressed the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. Consistently, FANC suppressed ox-LDL-induced enhanced attachment of THP-derived macrophages onto HAECs. In macrophages, FANC up-regulated ABCA1, and reversed ox-LDL-induced suppression of cholesterol efflux. FANC effected in vitro at nano moles. In conclusion, our findings showed novel actions and multiple mechanisms of FANC worked coherently against atherosclerosis.

Keywords: Anti-inflammation; Cholesterol-lowering; KEAP1; Nanomole; Plaque burden.