Apolipoprotein E Derived Peptides Inhibit the Pro-Inflammatory Effect of Lysophosphatidylcholine

Apolipoprotein-derived peptides have emerged as a potential candidate for the treatment of various inflammatory disease conditions. These peptides bind to pro-inflammatory lipids and inhibit their inflammatory functions. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) is a potent pro-inflammatory lipid and increased level of circulating LPC plays a major role in various acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. In this report we examined the effect of peptides derived from the C-terminal domain of human apolipoprotein E on the properties of LPC. Our results show that the peptides (E8, E10 and E11) bind to LPC and inhibit LPC-induced up-regulation of pro-inflammatory markers in human leukocytes. The results suggest that these peptides can be used as an anti-inflammatory agent in inflammatory conditions in which increased level of LPC is a culprit.