Researchers at Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina report that their latest study sheds new light on how the body handles cholesterol at the cellular level.
According to the institutions, the work digs into processes that scientists have long recognized but never fully mapped.
The project centers on macrophages, immune cells best known for removing damaged tissue.
When cholesterol accumulates inside arterial walls, these cells become heavily involved in the body’s attempt to limit the progression of atherosclerosis.
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Lead investigator Alexis Stamatikos explains that understanding how macrophages manage excess fats could eventually inspire more targeted approaches to heart-disease prevention.
Two proteins take center stage
At the core of the research are two transport proteins, ABCA1 and ABCG1.
These molecules help move cholesterol out of cells and toward high-density lipoproteins (HDL), often described as the “good” cholesterol.
The team notes that this export process acts as a cleanup mechanism, allowing macrophages to offload fats before they harden into plaque.
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Current cholesterol-lowering therapies, including statins, mainly reduce circulating cholesterol in the bloodstream.
But cholesterol that is already embedded in vessel walls is much harder to influence.
The study therefore examines whether strengthening the activity of ABCA1 and ABCG1 could support the body’s efforts to clear existing deposits.
What this could mean in the future
Alexis Stamatikos emphasizes that the findings relate to biological mechanisms rather than tested medical treatments.
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Still, the researchers see potential for combining this cell-level insight with established cholesterol-lowering drugs.
By focusing on the site where plaque forms, they hope future strategies may slow or prevent artery damage more effectively.
The next phase of the project will explore how safely these proteins can be activated in living organisms.
As the team puts it, the long-term aim is to better equip the body to maintain healthier, clearer arteries.
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Sources: Clemson News.
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This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.