Vaccine Shows Promise In Stopping Plaque Buildup in Arteries

Chinese researchers have developed a “cocktail” nanovaccine to prevent plaque from building up in the arteries, an underlying factor in heart disease, which is the leading cause of death worldwide. According to the researchers, the experimental vaccine, which has shown promise in a trial on mice, targets a condition known as atherosclerosis that causes a build-up of plaque ­— a deposit of fatty substances, cholesterol and cellular waste — in the arteries, which can lead to blood clots, stroke and heart attacks.

The researchers created the vaccine by attaching either an antigen that triggers an immune response against atherosclerosis or an immune response booster onto tiny iron oxide nanoparticles. When the nanovaccine was injected into mice that were fed a high-cholesterol diet, the immune response was able to reduce the development of atherosclerosis.

“Our findings demonstrate that the two-pronged nanovaccine delivery strategy is effective against atherosclerosis,” the researchers said in a paper published in Nature Communications.

However, the researchers say how long the nanovaccines protect against atherosclerosis requires further investigation. But, no evidence of liver toxicity was found in the mice, and the vaccine appeared not to result in “unwanted distribution” to organs like the heart and lungs.