siRNA nanoparticles targeting CaMKIIγ in lesional macrophages improve atherosclerotic plaque stability in mice

Atherosclerotic lesional macrophages express molecules that promote plaque progression, but lack of mechanisms to therapeutically target these molecules represents a major gap in translational cardiovascular research. Here, we tested the efficacy of a small interfering RNA (siRNA) nanoparticle (NP) platform targeting a plaque-destabilizing macrophage molecule-Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase γ (CaMKIIγ). CaMKIIγ becomes activated in advanced human and mouse plaque macrophages and drives plaque necrosis by suppressing the expression of the efferocytosis receptor MerTK. When macrophage-targeted siCamk2g NPs were administered to Western diet-fed Ldlr ^-/- mice, the atherosclerotic lesions showed decreased CaMKIIγ and increased MerTK expression in macrophages, improved phagocytosis of apoptotic cells (efferocytosis), decreased necrotic core area, and increased fibrous cap thickness-all signs of increased plaque stability-compared with mice treated with control siRNA NPs. These findings demonstrate that atherosclerosis-promoting genes in plaque macrophages can be targeted with siRNA NPs in a preclinical model of advanced atherosclerosis.