Pollen-inspired biomimetic magnetic microspheres as novel adsorbent for hyperlipidemia treatment

Hyperlipidemia (HLP) is a major trigger for highly fatal cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which featuring elevated plasma levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, especially the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). As promising clinical treatment for expeditious reduction of blood lipid, extracorporeal sorbent technologies leverage adsorbents to directly remove excessive lipids from patient's blood via hemoperfusion. Here, sourced from natural rape pollen, a meticulously structured, cost-effective, magnetically controllable, and biocompatible LDL adsorbent (Magnetic sporopollenin@PDA, MPS) is prepared. Utilizing naturally stable porous structure of sporopollenin exine (SP), magnetic nanoparticles are deposited onto its surface to impart magnetic controllability, followed by application of PDA coating to further enhance its negative charge and biocompatibility. The characteristics of MPS, including large specific surface area, uniform dimension, and stable structure, are validated through a series of characterizations. Its high efficacy in adsorbing LDL is demonstrated via static adsorption tests and simulations of hemoperfusion process. Meanwhile, high efficiency in magnetic recovery substantiates the excellent reusability of MPS, thereby significantly reducing costs of its application in extracorporeal sorbent technologies. Therefore, compared to traditional methods, MPS not only demonstrates superior adsorption performance but also features easy recovery through magnetic field control, along with excellent biocompatibility. These characteristics make MPS a promising material that is efficient, environmentally friendly, and economical for treating HLP and preventing diseases related to atherosclerosis.