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The research indicates that the cells of the immune system have a fundamental role in blood purification, since they interact with the red blood cell extracellular vesicles (VEGR), which are tiny particles released by the red blood cells themselves.
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RBCEVs elicited increased resistance to lipid uptake in macrophages.
In particular, a decrease in the levels of inflammatory proteins and an increased production of a protective enzyme against oxidative damage was observed, common in cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases.
Furthermore, RBCEVs elicited increased resistance to lipid uptake in macrophages, which reduced fat deposition, characteristic of atherosclerosis.
One of the study authors, Minh Le, explained: “We have known for some time that RBCEVs tend to target macrophages when they enter the body, but some of their implications have not been realized until now. The properties of the RBCEVs that we have discovered here are desirable for treating atherosclerosis and possibly other inflammatory diseases.”
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This discovery not only has implications in the fight against atherosclerosis, but could also influence the treatment of other inflammatory diseases, such as cancer, cancer-associated muscle wasting, and covid-19.
