According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), almost two in five adults in the U.S. have high cholesterol. If left untreated, this condition can lead to heart disease and stroke, which are two of the major causes of death in the country. On a global scale, cardiovascular diseases account for nearly 18 million deaths every year, according to the World Health Organization.
Effects of Cholesterol in the Body
Cholesterol is a type of lipid the body produces to make vitamin D, some hormones, and some molecules that help digest food. This waxy, fat-like substance is found in all the cells in the body and circulates in the blood.
Although cholesterol is important for cell building, it can cause damage when it is present at high levels. There are two types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL cholesterol, or "good" cholesterol, transports fat molecules out of artery walls and lowers overall cholesterol levels. On the other hand, LDL cholesterol, or "bad" cholesterol, can build up in arteries and cause the heart to work harder, leading to heart disease and stroke.
Diet and exercise are key factors that can help lower cholesterol levels. Millions of people worldwide also take statins to reduce cholesterol in their bodies. However, statins have some potentially harmful side effects, like muscle pain and increased risk of diabetes and cognitive loss.
READ ALSO: Statins and Belly Fat: Do Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Affect Body Weight?
Protein-Targeting Vaccine
Scientists at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine developed a game-changing vaccine that can offer an inexpensive method of reducing LDL cholesterol levels. The study discusses their findings: "A virus-like particle-based bivalent PCSK9 vaccine lowers LDL-cholesterol levels in non-human primates."
According to study author Dr. Bryce Chackerian, Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, the drug has the potential to be a more powerful treatment than statins alone. A single vaccine can reduce cholesterol levels in mice and macaques and effectively treat humans.
The new vaccine works by targeting PCSK9, a protein that controls blood cholesterol levels. This protein encourages the body to break down receptors that cholesterol attaches to when flushed out. It was found that people who have a mutation in PCSK9 usually suffer from an increased risk of heart disease, while those who do not produce it have a decreased risk. By targeting this protein, the vaccine can prevent it from functioning, reducing cholesterol in the blood.
Some drug companies have been developing high cholesterol treatments that target PCSK9. These include Alirocumab and Evolocumab, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already approved. They show positive results, but since their treatments use monoclonal antibodies, they are prohibitively expensive, with treatments costing up to $10,000 a year.
How does the new vaccine appear more effective than monoclonal antibody-based treatments at a fraction of the cost? A team of experts used virus-like particles to invent an HPV vaccine, which was very effective at stimulating the immune system. This inspired Chackerian and his team to use the same approach in targeting things that do not usually stimulate the immune system.
Virus-like particles resemble viruses but do not contain genetic materials that can cause infections. The immune system can recognize these particles and identify them as dangerous, responding strongly when they are vaccines. The researchers discovered that these particles can also target molecules that the immune system would not usually notice, such as PCSK9.
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