Nanoencapsulation Enhances Epigallocatechin-3-gallate Stability and Its Antiatherogenic Bioactivities in Macrophages

We have successfully synthesized (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) encapsulated nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCE) and chitosan-coated NLCE (CSNLCE) using natural lipids, surfactant, chitosan, and EGCG. Nanoencapsulation dramatically improved EGCG stability. CSNLCE significantly increased EGCG content in THP-1-derived macrophages compared with nonencapsulated EGCG. As compared to 10 μM nonencapsulated EGCG, both NLCE and CSNLCE at the same concentration significantly decreased macrophage cholesteryl ester content. NLCE and CSNLCE significantly decreased mRNA levels and protein secretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in macrophages, respectively. These data suggest that nanoencapsulated EGCG may have a potential to inhibit atherosclerotic lesion development through decreasing macrophage cholesterol content and MCP-1 expression.