Interaction of arterial proteoglycans with low density lipoproteins (LDLs): From theory to promising therapeutic approaches

Abstract

Although atherosclerosis is a multifactorial process, proteoglycans mediated lipoprotein (LDL) retention at the subendothelial space is a necessary and sufficient event in provoking lesion initiation. Proteoglycans (PGs) are usually composed of one core protein backbone with one or more glycosaminoglycan chains (GAGs) covalently linked, mainly include perlecan, biglycan, versican, and decorin. The interaction between LDL and proteoglycans is apparently mediated by the basic amino acids in apoB-100, the moiety of LDL, electrostatic interacting with the negatively charged GAGs (sulfate or carbohydrate groups) of proteoglycans or though some bridge molecules like sphingomyelinase (SMase) or lipoprotein lipase (LpL). In the later section, we collate the promising therapeutic approaches that have been proposed up to now, targeting LDL-PGs interaction. It should be concluded that previous studies on interaction between LDL and PGs mainly focused on perlecan, biglycan, decorin, and versican that all located in the extracellular matrix (ECM), future studies should pay more attention to the endothelial surface glycocalyx and its interaction with LDLs, seeking promising therapeutic targets more specifically.

Keywords

• Proteoglycans
• Low-density lipoprotein
• Atherosclerosis
• Endothelial glycocalyx