Nanoparticles as a Novel Tool to Inhibit Inflammatory Cytokines in Human Lymphocytes and Macrophages of Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract

TNFα and NF-kB contribute in activation of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways and complications of coronary artery diseases (CAD). Current study highlights novel properties of Au (15 ± 2 nm), ZnO (77 ± 45 nm) and MgO (11 ± 4 nm) nanoparticles (NPs) as possible anti-inflammatory agents with greater efficacy and lower toxicity. Decrease in TNFα and NF-kB levels in Single Vessel Disease (SVD), Double Vessel Disease (DVD) and Triple-Vessel coronary artery disease (TVD) macrophage and lymphocyte cultures at varying concentrations of NPs has been studied to find an effective therapeutic concentration (ETC). Au and MgO NPs exhibits 5 µg/ml ETC compared to 1 µg/ml ZnO in all three CAD categories with negligible toxicity. ZnO remains most statistically significant (p < 0.001) in SVD and TVD cultures whereas MgO shows efficacy in DVD and TVD cultures with more than 50% reduction in TNFα and NF-kB levels at their respective ETCs. Au NPs exhibit prominent effect in DVD cultures. The mRNA expression results support the down-regulation of TNFα and NF-kB after NPs exposure in respective cultures. Findings of this prospective observational cohort study suggest use of NPs as an alternate anti-inflammatory agent in coronary artery and other diseases.