Summary
It has been discovered that under certain circumstances cholesterol is a highly immunogenic molecule. Surprisingly, naturally occurring antibodies to cholesterol are ubiquitously present, to varying degrees, in all normal human sera. Experimental studies on cholesterol-fed rabbits have demonstrated that diet-induced hypercholesterolaemia and atherosclerosis can be decreased by immunisation with cholesterol-laden liposomes. Antibodies induced by the immunisation procedure appear to bind to lipoproteins of the very low, low and intermediate density classes. Based on this, a vaccine has been proposed for prevention or amelioration of diet-induced hypercholesterolaemia in humans. Phase I trials of the vaccine, which is expected to be safe, are anticipated in the near future in humans. The feasibility of immunological modulation of hypercholesterolaemia and atherosclerosis in humans may be demonstrated with a unique vaccine that targets cholesterol in low density lipoprotein.
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Alving, C.R., Swartz, G.M., Wassef, N.M. et al. Prospects for an Anticholesterol Vaccine. Clin. Immunother. 3, 409–414 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03259060
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03259060