Macrophage-based delivery of interleukin-10 alleviates atherosclerosis

Background: Arteriosclerosis (AS) involves arterial inflammation. Using macrophage-based drug delivery system, we aim to enhance local drug concentration, especially for short-lived anti-inflammatory molecules like interleukin-10. Our study intervenes in plaque progression by boosting IL-10 expression in macrophages lentiviral transfection and introducing these anti-inflammatory cells into Apoe-/- mice. Methods: We engineered RAW264.7 cells to overexpress IL-10 (referred to as IL-10M) using lentivirus vectors. Subsequent in vitro experiments were conducted to validate the effects and cellular functions of IL-10M. Fluorescence imaging allowed us to track the localization of IL-10M at atherosclerotic plaque sites after intravenous (IV) injection in Apoe-/- mice. We administered periodic injections of IL-10M at different stages of plaque progression in AS mice to assess its therapeutic impact on plaque advancement. Following the intervention, we collected samples from major organs and serum to evaluate the safety of IL-10M treatment. Results: Our engineered IL-10M exhibits robust IL-10 secretion, maintaining macrophage phagocytic function, and showing a tendency toward an M2 phenotype when exposed to inflammatory stimuli. Upon intravenous IL-10M administration, fluorescence imaging highlights precise plaque localization in both global and cross-sectional aortic regions. Regardless of whether intervention is initiated early or late in plaque progression, we observe significant reductions in plaque area and necrotic core. Importantly, IL-10M intervention does not impact the histological characteristics of the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, nor does it influence systemic inflammation levels. Conclusion: Our team has devised a novel anti-inflammatory protein delivery system utilizing modified macrophages, which exhibit a remarkable ability to target atherosclerotic plaques, resulting in the reduction of both plaque area and necrotic core. This innovative approach demonstrates favorable safety profiles and holds significant potential as a therapeutic strategy for managing atherosclerosis.