Apolipoprotein C1 (apoC1), the smallest of all apolipoproteins, participates in lipid transport and metabolism. In humans, APOC1 gene is in linkage disequilibrium with APOE gene on chromosome 19, a proximity that spurred its investigation. Apolipoprotein C1 associates with triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and HDL and exchanges between lipoprotein classes. These interactions occur via amphipathic helix motifs, as demonstrated by biophysical studies on the wild-type polypeptide and representative mutants. Apolipoprotein C1 acts on lipoprotein receptors by inhibiting binding mediated by apolipoprotein E, and modulating the activities of several enzymes. Thus, apoC1 downregulates lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase, phospholipase A2, cholesterylester transfer protein, and activates lecithin-cholesterol acyl transferase. By controlling the plasma levels of lipids, apoC1 relates directly to cardiovascular physiology, but its activity extends beyond, to inflammation and immunity, sepsis, diabetes, cancer, viral infectivity, and—not last—to cognition. Such correlations were established based on studies using transgenic mice, associated in the recent years with GWAS, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. The presence of a duplicate gene, pseudogene APOC1P, stimulated evolutionary studies and more recently, the regulatory properties of the corresponding non-coding RNA are steadily emerging. Nonetheless, this prototypical apolipoprotein is still underexplored and deserves further research for understanding its physiology and exploiting its therapeutic potential.

Apolipoprotein A-II (apoA-II) is the second most abundant apolipoprotein in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, playing an important role in lipid metabolism. Human and murine apoA-II proteins have dissimilar properties, partially because human apoA-II is dimeric whereas the murine homolog is a monomer, suggesting that the role of apoA-II may be quite different in humans and mice. As a component of HDL, apoA-II influences lipid metabolism, being directly or indirectly involved in vascular diseases. Clinical and epidemiological studies resulted in conflicting findings regarding the proatherogenic or atheroprotective role of apoA-II. Human apoA-II deficiency has little influence on lipoprotein levels with no obvious clinical consequences, while murine apoA-II deficiency causes HDL deficit in mice. In humans, an increased plasma apoA-II concentration causes hypertriglyceridemia and lowers HDL levels. This dyslipidemia leads to glucose intolerance, and the ensuing high blood glucose enhances apoA-II transcription, generating a vicious circle that may cause type 2 diabetes (T2D). ApoA-II is also used as a biomarker in various diseases, such as pancreatic cancer. Herein, we provide a review of the most recent findings regarding the roles of apoA-II and its functions in various physiological processes and disease states, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, amyloidosis, hepatitis, insulin resistance, obesity, and T2D.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are a group of ligand-binding transcription factors with pivotal action in regulating pleiotropic signaling pathways of energetic metabolism, immune responses and cell proliferation and differentiation. A significant body of evidence indicates that the PPARα receptor is an important modulator of plasma lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, with pluripotent effects influencing the lipid and apolipoprotein cargo of both atherogenic and antiatherogenic lipoproteins and their functionality. Clinical evidence supports an important role of PPARα agonists (fibric acid derivatives) in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia and/or low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, although the effects of clinical trials are contradictory and point to a reduction in the risk of nonfatal and fatal myocardial infarction events. In this manuscript, we provide an up-to-date critical review of the existing relevant literature.

: The progress in small-interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics depends on the development of suitable nanocarriers to perform specific and effective delivery to dysfunctional cells. In this paper, we questioned whether P-selectin, a cell adhesion molecule specifically expressed on the surface of activated endothelial cells (EC) could be employed as a target for nanotherapeutic intervention. To this purpose, we developed and characterized P-selectin targeted PEGylated cationic liposomes able to efficiently pack siRNA and to function as efficient vectors for siRNA delivery to tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) activated EC. Targeted cationic liposomes were obtained by coupling a peptide with high affinity for P-selectin to a functionalized PEGylated phospholipid inserted in the liposomes’ bilayer (Psel-lipo). As control, scrambled peptide coupled cationic liposomes (Scr-lipo) were used. The lipoplexes obtained by complexation of Psel-lipo with siRNA (Psel-lipo/siRNA) were taken up specifically and at a higher extent by TNF-α activated b.End3 endothelial cells as compared to non-targeted Scr-lipo/siRNA. The Psel-lipo/siRNA delivered with high efficiency siRNA into the cells. The lipoplexes were functional as demonstrated by the down-regulation of the selected gene (GAPDH). The results demonstrate an effective targeted delivery of siRNA into cultured activated endothelial cells using P-selectin directed PEGylated cationic liposomes, which subsequently knock-down the desired gene.

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is mainly secreted by hepatocytes and incorporated into most plasma lipoproteins. Macrophages, which accumulate cholesterol and are critical for the development of the atherosclerotic plaque, are also an important, albeit smaller, apoE source. Distal regulatory elements control cell-specific activity of the apoE promoter: multienhancers (ME.1/2) in macrophages and hepatic control regions (HCR-1/2) in hepatocytes. A member of AP-1 cell growth regulator, c-Jun regulates the transcription of various apolipoproteins and proinflammatory molecules implicated in atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate the effect of c-Jun on apoE expression in macrophages versus hepatocytes and to reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms. Herein we show that c-Jun had an opposite, cell-specific effect on apoE expression: downregulation in macrophages but upregulation in hepatocytes. Transient transfections using ME.2 deletion mutants and DNA pull-down (DNAP) assays showed that the inhibitory effect of c-Jun on the apoE promoter in macrophages was mediated by a functional c-Jun binding site located at 301/311 on ME.2. In hepatocytes, c-Jun overexpression strongly increased apoE expression, and this effect was due to c-Jun binding at the canonical site located at −94/−84 on the apoE proximal promoter, identified by transient transfections using apoE deletion mutants, DNAP, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Overall, the dual effect of c-Jun on apoE gene expression led to decreased cholesterol efflux in macrophages resident in the atherosclerotic plaque synergized with an increased level of systemic apoE secreted by the liver to exacerbate atherogenesis.

Naringenin, an anti-inflammatory citrus flavonoid, is restrained from large-scale use by its reduced water solubility and bioavailability. To overcome these limitations, naringenin was loaded into lipid nanoemulsions directed towards vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, exposed by activated endothelium, and delivered intravenously in a murine model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. To follow the in vivo bio-distribution, naringenin-loaded nanoemulsions were labeled with near-infrared probe Indocyanine Green (ICG). Based on ICG fluorescence, a VCAM-1-dependent retention of nanoemulsions was detected in the heart and aorta, while ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) measurements showed a target-selective accumulation of naringenin in the heart and lungs. Correlated, fluorescence and UHPLC data indicated a mixed behavior of the VCAM-1 directed nanoparticles, which were driven not only by the targeting moiety but also by passive retention. The treatment with naringenin-loaded nanoemulsions reduced the mRNA levels of some inflammatory mediators in organs harvested from mice with acute inflammation, indicative of their anti-inflammatory potential. The data support a novel theranostic nanoplatform for inflammation, the naringenin/ICG-loaded nanoparticles that either by passive accumulation or effective targeting of the activated endothelium can be employed for imaging inflamed vascular areas and efficient delivery of the encapsulated therapeutic agent.