Selenium nanoparticles inhibit the formation of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E deficient mice by alleviating hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress

Recent progress in biomimetic nanomedicines based on versatile targeting strategy for atherosclerosis therapy

Atherosclerosis (AS) is considered to be one of the major causes of cardiovascular disease. Its pathological microenvironment is characterised by increased production of reactive oxygen species, lipid oxides, and excessive inflammatory factors, which accumulate at the monolayer endothelial cells in the vascular wall to form AS plaques. Therefore, intervention in the pathological microenvironment would be beneficial in delaying AS. Researchers have designed biomimetic nanomedicines with excellent biocompatibility and the ability to avoid being cleared by the immune system through different therapeutic strategies to achieve better therapeutic effects for the characteristics of AS. Biomimetic nanomedicines can further enhance delivery efficiency and improve treatment efficacy due to their good biocompatibility and ability to evade clearance by the immune system. Biomimetic nanomedicines based on therapeutic strategies such as neutralising inflammatory factors, ROS scavengers, lipid clearance and integration of diagnosis and treatment are versatile approaches for effective treatment of AS. The review firstly summarises the targeting therapeutic strategy of biomimetic nanomedicine for AS in recent 5 years. Biomimetic nanomedicines using cell membranes, proteins, and extracellular vesicles as carriers have been developed for AS.

Coenzyme Q10 in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerotic disease is a chronic disease that predominantly affects the elderly and is the most common cause of cardiovascular death worldwide. Atherosclerosis is closely related to processes such as abnormal lipid transport and metabolism, impaired endothelial function, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a key component of complex Ⅰ in the electron transport chain and an important endogenous antioxidant that may play a role in decelerating the progression of atherosclerosis. Here, the different forms of CoQ10 presence in the electron transport chain are reviewed, as well as its physiological role in regulating processes such as oxidative stress, inflammatory response, lipid metabolism and cellular autophagy. It was also found that CoQ10 plays beneficial effects in atherosclerosis by mitigating lipid transportation, endothelial inflammation, metabolic abnormalities, and thrombotic processes from the perspectives of molecular mechanisms, animal experiments, and clinical evidence. Besides, the combined use of CoQ10 with other drugs has better synergistic therapeutic effects. It seems reasonable to suggest that CoQ10 could be used in the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases while more basic and clinical studies are needed.

Impacts of chitosan and its nanoformulations on the metabolic syndromes: a review

A significant public health issue worldwide is metabolic syndrome, a cluster of metabolic illnesses that comprises insulin resistance, obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension. The creation of natural treatments and preventions for metabolic syndrome is crucial. Chitosan, along with its nanoformulations, is an oligomer of chitin, the second-most prevalent polymer in nature, which is created via deacetylation. Due to its plentiful biological actions in recent years, chitosan and its nanoformulations have drawn much interest. Recently, the chitosan nanoparticle-based delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 has been applied in treating metabolic syndromes. The benefits of chitosan and its nanoformulations on insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension will be outlined in the present review, highlighting potential mechanisms for the avoidance and medication of the metabolic syndromes by chitosan and its nanoformulations.

Therapeutic Potential of Selenium Nanoparticles on Letrozole-Induced Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in Female Wistar Rats

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is considered the most frequent gynecological endocrine disorder that causes anovulatory infertility. The current study aimed to investigate the potential significance of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), an IL-1 inhibitor, in the treatment of letrozole-induced PCOS in rats that satisfied the metabolic and endocrine parameters found in PCOS patients. Letrozole (2 ppm, per orally, p.o.) was given orally to female Wistar rats for 21 days to develop PCOS. After PCOS induction, rats were given SeNPs (25 ppm/day, p.o.), SeNPs (50 ppm/day, p.o.), or metformin (2 ppm/day, p.o.) for 14 days. PCOS was associated with an increase in body weight, ovarian weight, ovarian size, and cysts, as well as an increase in blood testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and insulin, glycaemia, and lipid profile levels. The SeNP administration decreased all of these variables. Furthermore, SeNPs significantly reduced letrozole-induced oxidative stress in the ovaries, muscles, and liver by decreasing elevated levels of malondialdehyde and total nitrite while raising suppressed levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase. SeNPs increased the amounts of the protective proteins Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap-1), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and OH-1. It was depicted from the study that SeNPs reduce the upregulation of inflammatory cytokines that are interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and the interleukin 1 (IL-1). Our findings show that SeNPs, through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics, alleviate letrozole-induced PCOS.

Nanotherapeutics for the Myocardium: A Potential Alternative for Treating Cardiac Diseases

ABSTRACT

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the foremost cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Current clinical interventions include invasive approaches for progressed conditions and pharmacological assistance for initial stages, which has systemic side effects. Preventive, curative, diagnostic, and theranostic (therapeutic + diagnostic) approaches till date are not very useful in combating the ongoing CVD epidemic, which demands a promising efficient alternative approach. To combat the growing CVD outbreak globally, the ideal strategy is to make the therapeutic intervention least invasive and direct to the heart to reduce the bystander effects on other organs and increase the bioavailability of the therapeutics to the myocardium. The application of nanoscience and nanoparticle-mediated approaches have gained a lot of momentum because of their efficient passive and active myocardium targeting capability owing to their improved specificity and controlled release. This review provides extensive insight into the various types of nanoparticles available for CVDs, their mechanisms of targeting (eg, direct or indirect), and the utmost need for further development of bench-to-bedside cardiac tissue-based nanomedicines. Furthermore, the review aims to summarize the different ideas and methods of nanoparticle-mediated therapeutic approaches to the myocardium till date with present clinical trials and future perspectives. This review also reflects the potential of such nanoparticle-mediated tissue-targeted therapies to contribute to the sustainable development goals of good health and well-being.

Selenium nanoparticles: Properties, preparation methods, and therapeutic applications

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are a unique type of nano-sized elemental selenium that have recently found wide application in biomedicine. It has been shown that the properties of SeNPs can be varied by different fabrication methods. Moreover, SeNPs have various therapeutic effects in medical applications due to their excellent biological and adaptable physical properties. At the same time, SeNPs can be used as a carrier medium for various therapeutic substances, which can bring out the full curative effects of the drugs. In this review, the differences in bioactivity properties of SeNPs prepared from different substances were reviewed; the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of SeNPs in cancer, inflammation, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, reproductive diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and other diseases were discussed; and the importance of the development of SeNPs was further emphasized.

Modification of Some Structural and Functional Parameters of Living Culture of Arthrospira platensis as the Result of Selenium Nanoparticle Biosynthesis

Selenium nanoparticles are attracting the attention of researchers due to their multiple applications, including medicine. The biosynthesis of selenium nanoparticles has become particularly important due to the environmentally friendly character of the process and special properties of the obtained particles. The possibility of performing the biosynthesis of selenium nanoparticles via the living culture of Arthrospira platensis starting from sodium selenite was studied. The bioaccumulation capacity of the culture, along with changes in the main biochemical parameters of the biomass, the ultrastructural changes in the cells during biosynthesis and the change in the expression of some genes involved in stress response reactions were determined. Protein, lipid and polysaccharide fractions were obtained from the biomass grown in the presence of sodium selenite. The formation of selenium nanoparticles in the protein fraction was demonstrated. Thus, Arthrospira platensis culture can be considered a suitable matrix for the biosynthesis of selenium nanoparticles.

The association between essential trace element mixture and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk among Chinese community-dwelling older adults

The evidence about the association of the essential trace element (ETE) mixture with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) amongst older adults is limited. This study aims to evaluate the associations of single ETEs and the ETE mixture with the 10-year ASCVD risks and its predicting factors in Chinese community-dwelling older adults. A total of 607 community-dwelling older adults were included in this study. Blood levels of vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), and selenium (Se) were assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The predicted 10-year ASCVD risk was calculated using the Prediction for ASCVD Risk in China (China-PAR) equations. Traditional linear regressions and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to assess the associations of single ETEs and the ETE mixture with the 10-year ASCVD risks and its predicting factors such as systolic blood pressure (SBP), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), diabetes, and waist circumference (WC). In linear regression models, blood Cr levels were negatively associated with the 10-year ASCVD risks after adjustment for covariates (β =  - 0.07, 95% CI =  - 0.11 ~  - 0.03); The 3th quartile (Q3) of Se levels was also associated with a lower 10-year ASCVD risks when compared with the lowest quartile (Q1) of Se levels (β_Q3 vs. _Q1: - 0.12, 95% CI =  - 0.22 ~  - 0.02). In BKMR models, the negative associations of Cr and Se with the 10-year ASCVD risks were observed. Higher blood levels of ETE mixture were associated with decreased 10-year ASCVD risks in a dose-response pattern, with Cr having the highest value of the posterior inclusion probability (PIP) within the mixture. Furthermore, a positive association between Cr and HDL-C and a negative association between Se and SBP were found in both linear regression and BKMR models. Cr and Se were negatively associated with the 10-year ASCVD risks, individually and as a mixture. ETE mixture showed a linear dose-response association with decreased 10-year ASCVD risks, with Cr being the most important component within the mixture. The negative association of the ETE mixture with the 10-year ASCVD risks may be attributed to Cr and Se, mainly mediated by HDL-C and SBP, respectively. Further cohort studies are needed to clarify this association.

Nanozymes for Regenerative Medicine

Nanozymes refer to nanomaterials that catalyze enzyme substrates into products under relevant physiological conditions following enzyme kinetics. Compared to natural enzymes, nanozymes possess the characteristics of higher stability, easier preparation, and lower cost. Importantly, nanozymes possess the magnetic, fluorescent, and electrical properties of nanomaterials, making them promising replacements for natural enzymes in industrial, biological, and medical fields. On account of the rapid development of nanozymes recently, their application potentials in regeneration medicine are gradually being explored. To highlight the achievements in the regeneration medicine field, this review summarizes the catalytic mechanism of four types of representative nanozymes. Then, the strategies to improve the biocompatibility of nanozymes are discussed. Importantly, this review covers the recent advances in nanozymes in tissue regeneration medicine including wound healing, nerve defect repair, bone regeneration, and cardiovascular disease treatment. In addition, challenges and prospects of nanozyme researches in regeneration medicine are summarized.

Comparison of Serum Selenium Levels Between Patients with Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation and Normal Controls

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained dysrhythmia in the elderly population. It is estimated to affect more than 30 million people worldwide. AF occurs when abnormal electrical impulses start to activate in the atria and override the heart's natural pacemaker, which can no longer control the heart's rhythm. Since atrial contractility is impaired in AF, blood flow in the atria becomes stasis over time and causes thrombus formation. This thrombus causes the risk of embolism and causes complications such as stroke. Therefore, it is a fundamental cause of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. The diagnosis of AF is usually made with the help of electrocardiography (ECG). The absence of P waves in ECG and irregular R-R interval is sufficient for diagnosis. AF is most commonly associated with advanced age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, obesity, alcohol use, physical inactivity, and underlying ischemic heart diseases. As well as to all these usual risk factors, electrolyte disorders and mineral deficiencies also play an essential role in the etiology of AF. Previous studies have clearly demonstrated that serum electrolyte changes have a role in the etiology of AF. These include electrolytes such as serum magnesium, calcium, potassium, and chloride. However, there is not enough information in the literature about the effects of trace elements on AF. Selenium is a trace element that plays an important role in many systems in the human body. It has a vital role in inflammation, regulation of antioxidant reactions, and fibrosis of tissues in both animals and humans. It is known that selenium deficiency causes many cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, and arrhythmia. Our study aimed to compare serum selenium levels in newly diagnosed AF patients with the healthy control group.

Amorphous selenium nanodots alleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via activating VEGF receptor 1 to further inhibit phosphorylation of JNK/p38 MAPK pathways

In clinic, there is still no unified standard for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the development of effective novel drugs to alleviate NAFLD remains a challenge. This study aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of amorphous selenium nanodots (A SeNDs) in alleviating NAFLD. Model rats with NAFLD were induced by the high-fat diet (HFD). Histomorphology was used to observe liver tissue, automatic biochemical analyzer was used to analyze liver function indicators, and ELISA kit was used to detect the effect of A SeNDs on oxidative stress and inflammatory factors in NAFLD rats. The results exhibited that A SeNDs could reduce hepatocyte steatosis, liver index, blood lipid level, and transaminase level in NAFLD rats. Furthermore, A SeNDs could relieve the oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction and maintain liver tissue structure in NAFLD rats. Mechanistically, A SeNDs (0.3 mg/kg/day) inhibit the phosphorylation of JNK/p38 MAPK pathways after activating vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) in the liver of rats with NAFLD to allay oxidative stress and inflammatory response and improves hepatic structure and liver function. Therefore, it should be an important method to mitigate NAFLD by supplementing A SeNDs to normalize hepatic structure and liver function.

Immunomodulatory roles of selenium nanoparticles: Novel arts for potential immunotherapy strategy development

Current chemotherapy strategies used in clinic appear with lots of disadvantages due to the low targeting effects of drugs and strong side effects, which significantly restricts the drug potency, causes multiple dysfunctions in the body, and even drives the emergence of diseases. Immunotherapy has been proved to boost the body’s innate and adaptive defenses for more effective disease control and treatment. As a trace element, selenium plays vital roles in human health by regulating the antioxidant defense, enzyme activity, and immune response through various specific pathways. Profiting from novel nanotechnology, selenium nanoparticles have been widely developed to reveal great potential in anticancer, antibacterial, and anti-inflammation treatments. More interestingly, increasing evidence has also shown that functional selenium nanoparticles can be applied for potential immunotherapy, which would achieve more effective treatment efficiency as adjunctive therapy strategies for the current chemotherapy. By directly interacting with innate immune cells, such as macrophages, dendritic cells, and natural killer cells, selenium nanoparticles can regulate innate immunity to intervene disease developments, which were reported to boost the anticancer, anti-infection, and anti-inflammation treatments. Moreover, selenium nanoparticles can also activate and recover different T cells for adaptive immunity regulations to enhance their cytotoxic to combat cancer cells, indicating the potential of selenium nanoparticles for potential immunotherapy strategy development. Here, aiming to enhance our understanding of the potential immunotherapy strategy development based on Se NPs, this review will summarize the immunological regulation effects of selenium nanoparticles and the application of selenium nanoparticle-based immunotherapy strategies. Furthermore, we will discuss the advancing perspective of selenium nanoparticle-based potential immunotherapy as a kind of novel adjunctive therapy to enhance the efficiency of current chemotherapies and also introduce the current obstacles for the development of selenium nanoparticles for potential immunotherapy strategy development. This work is expected to promote the future research on selenium nanoparticle-assisted immunotherapy and finally benefit the more effective disease treatments against the threatening cancer and infectious and chronic diseases.

Chitosan Nanoparticles in Atherosclerosis—Development to Preclinical Testing

Chitosan is a natural biopolymer that is present in an abundant supply in sources such as crustacean shells, mushrooms, and insect exoskeletons. It can be used to make a variety of types of drug formulations and is generally safe to use in vivo; plus, it has inherent cholesterol-reducing properties. While an abundance of papers has tested this biopolymer in nanoparticles in cancer and diabetes research, there is a lag of usage, and hence the paucity of information, in the area of cardiovascular research, specifically in atherosclerosis, the topic of this review. This review highlights some of the deficiencies in this niche area of research, examines the range of chitosan nanoparticles that have been researched to date, and proposes several ways forward to advance this field. Nanoparticles used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes are reviewed, with a discussion on how these nanoparticles could be better researched in future and what lays ahead as the field potentially moves towards clinical trials in future.

Nanobiotechnology approaches for cardiovascular diseases: site-specific targeting of drugs and nanoparticles for atherothrombosis

Atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis, the major contributors to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), represent the leading cause of death worldwide. Current pharmacological therapies have been associated with side effects or are insufficient at halting atherosclerotic progression effectively. Pioneering work harnessing the passive diffusion or endocytosis properties of nanoparticles and advanced biotechnologies in creating recombinant proteins for site-specific delivery have been utilized to overcome these limitations. Since CVDs are complex diseases, the most challenging aspect of developing site-specific therapies is the identification of an individual and unique antigenic epitope that is only expressed in lesions or diseased areas. This review focuses on the pathological mechanism of atherothrombosis and discusses the unique targets that are important during disease progression. We review recent advances in site-specific therapy using novel targeted drug-delivery and nanoparticle-carrier systems. Furthermore, we explore the limitations and future perspectives of site-specific therapy for CVDs.

Comparison of Selenium Nanoparticles and Sodium Selenite on the Alleviation of Early Atherosclerosis by Inhibiting Endothelial Dysfunction and Inflammation in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice

Atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular diseases represent the greatest threats to human health, worldwide. Previous animal studies showed that selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and Na₂SeO₃ might have anti-atherosclerotic activity, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly elucidated. This study compared the anti-atherosclerotic activity of SeNPs stabilized with chitosan (CS-SeNPs) and Na₂SeO₃ and the related mechanism in a high-fat-diet-fed apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse model of atherosclerosis. The results showed that oral administration of both CS-SeNPs and Na₂SeO₃ (40 μg Se/kg/day) for 10 weeks significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesions in mouse aortae. Mechanistically, CS-SeNPs and Na₂SeO₃ not only alleviated vascular endothelial dysfunction, as evidenced by the increase of serum nitric oxide level and the decrease of aortic adhesion molecule expression, but also vascular inflammation, as evidenced by the decrease of macrophage recruitment as well as the expression of proinflammatory molecules. Importantly, these results were replicated within in-vivo experiments on the cultured human endothelial cell line EA.hy926. Overall, CS-SeNPs had a comparable effect with Na₂SeO₃ but might have more potential in atherosclerosis prevention due to its lower toxicity. Together, these results provide more insights into the mechanisms of selenium against atherosclerosis and further highlight the potential of selenium supplementation as a therapeutic strategy for atherosclerosis.

The Impact of Selenium Deficiency on Cardiovascular Function

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element that is necessary for various metabolic processes, including protection against oxidative stress, and proper cardiovascular function. The role of Se in cardiovascular health is generally agreed upon to be essential yet not much has been defined in terms of specific functions. Se deficiency was first associated with Keshan’s Disease, an endemic disease characterized by cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Since then, Se deficiency has been associated with multiple cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction, heart failure, coronary heart disease, and atherosclerosis. Se, through its incorporation into selenoproteins, is vital to maintain optimal cardiovascular health, as selenoproteins are involved in numerous crucial processes, including oxidative stress, redox regulation, thyroid hormone metabolism, and calcium flux, and inadequate Se may disrupt these processes. The present review aims to highlight the importance of Se in cardiovascular health, provide updated information on specific selenoproteins that are prominent for proper cardiovascular function, including how these proteins interact with microRNAs, and discuss the possibility of Se as a potential complemental therapy for prevention or treatment of cardiovascular disease.