Anti-ABCA1 monoclonal antibody, clone IK2 [FITC]

Context: Elevated serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels are associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux from macrophages may be an antiatherogenic process. Plasminogen (PLG) is a driver of ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux, and its action is inhibited by purified human Lp(a). Objective: To determine the effects of Lp(a) in human serum on ABCA1 cholesterol efflux. Methods: Cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) was measured with two different cell-culture models using serum from 76 patients with either low (<50 mg/dL) or high (>50 mg/dL) Lp(a) levels. Results: Using cAMP-stimulated J774 macrophages or baby hamster kidney fibroblasts overexpressing human ABCA1, we show that CEC was lower in patients with high Lp(a) levels compared with patients with low levels (-30.6%, P = 0.002 vs -24.1%, P < 0.001, respectively). Total-serum CEC negatively correlated with Lp(a) levels (r = -0.433, P = 0.0007 vs r = -0.505, P = 0.0011, respectively). These negative associations persisted after adjusting for serum cholesterol, age, sex, and statin use in a multiple linear regression model (adjusted R 2 = 0.413 or 0.405, respectively) and were strengthened when further adjusting for the interaction between Lp(a) and PLG levels (adjusted R-2 = 0.465 and 0.409, respectively). Total-serum and isolated Lp(a) from patients with high Lp(a) inhibited PLG-mediated ABCA1 cholesterol efflux. Conclusion: Total-serum CEC is reduced in patients with high Lp(a) levels. This is in part due to the inhibition of PLG-mediated ABCA1 cholesterol efflux by Lp(a). Our findings suggest an atherogenic role for Lp(a) through its ability to inhibit CEC.

One of the most relevant drawbacks in medicine is the ability of drugs and/or imaging agents to reach cells. Nanotechnology opened new horizons in drug delivery, and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) represent a promising delivery vehicle for their adjustable size and shape, high-density surface ligand attachment, etc. AgNPs cellular uptake involves different endocytosis mechanisms, including lipid raft-mediated endocytosis. Since static magnetic fields (SMFs) exposure induces plasma membrane perturbation, including the rearrangement of lipid rafts, we investigated whether SMF could increase the amount of AgNPs able to pass the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) plasma membrane. To this purpose, the effect of 6-mT SMF exposure on the redistribution of two main lipid raft components (i.e., disialoganglioside GD3, cholesterol) and on AgNPs uptake efficiency was investigated. Results showed that 6 mT SMF: (i) induces a time-dependent GD3 and cholesterol redistribution in plasma membrane lipid rafts and modulates gene expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), (ii) increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lipid peroxidation, (iii) does not induce cell death and (iv) induces lipid rafts rearrangement, that, in turn, favors the uptake of AgNPs. Thus, it derives that SMF exposure could be exploited to enhance the internalization of NPs-loaded therapeutic or diagnostic molecules.