A Two Birds with One Stone Strategy: Sialic Acid-Modified Pitavastatin Liposomes for Combating Atherosclerosis and Tumors

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) poses a severe threat to human health, and the global prevalence of atherosclerosis-related diseases continues to rise, necessitating urgent exploration of novel strategies. Inspired by the close links between tumors and atherosclerosis (AS), as well as the clinical reality of their comorbidity, the present study encapsulated pitavastatin within liposomes and modified them with sialic acid-cholesterol (SA-CH) to achieve targeted drug delivery via peripheral blood neutrophils (PBNs). Compared to oral pitavastatin administration, sialic acid-modified pitavastatin liposomes (PIT-SAL) demonstrated superior efficacy in attenuating disease progression in atherosclerotic mice, with sustained therapeutic effects even after treatment cessation, suggesting the potential for eradication of AS. Notably, PIT-SAL additionally exhibited antitumor potential by effectively reducing tumoral cholesterol accumulation while enhancing T-cell infiltration. Collectively, our preliminary findings highlight the great translational potential of PIT-SAL as a targeted therapy for both AS and tumors, offering a potential breakthrough in managing these interconnected diseases.