High cholesterol can quietly damage arteries for years, raising the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular problems. Now, researchers from the University of Barcelona and the University of Oregon have developed an experimental strategy that could offer a new way to bring cholesterol levels down.
The approach targets PCSK9, a protein that plays a major role in controlling levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), often called "bad" cholesterol. By suppressing PCSK9, the treatment helps cells remove more cholesterol from the bloodstream, potentially reducing the buildup of fatty plaques inside arteries that can lead to atherosclerosis.
Instead of relying on statins, the researchers used molecules called polypurine hairpins (PPRH). These specially designed DNA molecules can interfere with the activity of specific genes. In this case, they were used to reduce production of PCSK9.
The findings were published in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology. The research was led by Carles J. Ciudad and Verònica Noé, professors at the University of Barcelona's Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences and the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), together with Nathalie Pamir of the University of Oregon in Portland (United States). The work was supported by projects from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICINN) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the United States.
