Comparison of Policosanols via Incorporation into Reconstituted High-Density Lipoproteins: Cuban Policosanol (Raydel®) Exerts the Highest Antioxidant, Anti-Glycation, and Anti-Inflammatory Activity

Reconstituted high-density lipoproteins (rHDL) containing each policosanol from Cuba (Raydel®), China (Shaanxi Pioneer), and the United States (Lesstanol®) were synthesized to compare the physiological properties of policosanol depending on sources and origin countries. After synthesis with apolipoproteinA-I (apoA-I) into rHDL, all policosanols bound well with phospholipid and apoA-I to form discoidal rHDL. An rHDL containing Cuban policosanol (rHDL-1) showed the largest rHDL particle size of around 83 ± 3 nm, while rHDL containing Chinese policosanol (rHDL-2) or American policosanol (rHDL-3) showed smaller particles around 63 ± 3 nm and 60 ± 2 nm in diameter, respectively. The rHDL-1 showed the strongest anti-glycation activity to protect the apoA-I degradation of HDL from fructose-mediated glycation: approximately 2.7-times higher ability to suppress glycation and 1.4-times higher protection ability of apoA-I than that of rHDL-2 and rHDL-3. The rHDL-1 showed the highest antioxidant ability to inhibit cupric ion-mediated LDL oxidation in electromobility and the quantification of oxidized species. A microinjection of each rHDL into a zebrafish embryo in the presence of carboxymethyllysine (CML) showed that rHDL-1 displayed the strongest anti-oxidant activity with the highest embryo survivability, whereas rHDL-2 and rHDL-3 showed much weaker protection ability, similar to rHDL alone (rHDL-0). An intraperitoneal injection of CML (250 μg) into adult zebrafish caused acute death and hyperinflammation with an elevation of infiltration of neutrophils and IL-6 production in the liver. On the other hand, a co-injection of rHDL-1 resulted in the highest survivability and the strongest anti-inflammatory ability to suppress IL-6 production with an improvement of the blood lipid profile, such as elevation of HDL-C and lowering of the total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride. In conclusion, Cuban policosanol exhibited the most desirable properties for the in vitro synthesis of rHDL with the stabilization of apoA-I, the largest particle size, anti-glycation against fructation, and antioxidant activities to prevent LDL oxidation. Cuban policosanol in rHDL also exhibited the strongest in vivo antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities with the highest survivability in zebrafish embryos and adults via the prevention of hyperinflammation in the presence of CML.