This type of gum gives the opportunity to neutralize the virus in saliva, one researcher said. (Represent)
Washington:
Scientists are developing a gum impregnated with a plant protein that acts as a “trap” for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, reducing the viral load in water. foam and has the potential to reduce transmission. The researchers note that fully vaccinated individuals can still become infected with SARS-CoV-2 and may carry similar viral loads as unvaccinated individuals.
“SARS-CoV-2 multiplies in the salivary glands, and we know that when someone infected sneezes, coughs, or speaks some of that virus can be infected,” said Henry Daniell at the University of Pennsylvania in the US. deported out and reached others”. .
Daniell, who led the study published in the journal ‘Molecular Therapy’, said: ‘This gum offers the opportunity to neutralize viruses in saliva, giving us a simple way to be able to do this. reduce the source of disease transmission”.
Before the pandemic, Daniell had been working on angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein in the treatment of high blood pressure.
His lab has developed this protein, as well as many others that may have therapeutic potential, using a patented plant-based production system. The system, the researchers say, has the potential to avoid a common obstacle to protein drug synthesis: a costly manufacturing and purification process.
The receptor for ACE2 on human cells also binds to the mutant protein SARS-CoV-2, which the virus uses to infect cells, they say.
Previous research has shown that ACE2 injections can reduce viral loads in people with severe infections.
Another work by Daniell and colleague Hyun Koo has involved research to develop a gum infused with plant-based proteins to break down dental plaque.
Combining his insights into ACE2 with this technology, Daniell wondered if such a gum, infused with plant-grown ACE2 proteins, could neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in the oral cavity. or not.
To test the gum, the team cultured ACE2 in plants, which in combination with another compound allows the protein to cross mucosal barriers and facilitate binding.
The researchers incorporated the resulting plant material into cinnamon-flavored gum.
Incubating samples obtained from nasopharyngeal swabs from COVID-positive patients with gum, they showed that the presence of ACE2 could inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
They then modified the viruses, which are less pathogenic than SARS-CoV-2, to express the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
The scientists observed that chewing gum primarily prevented viruses or viral particles from entering cells, either by blocking the ACE2 receptor on the cell or by binding directly to the mutant protein. .
Finally, the team exposed saliva samples of COVID-19 patients to ACE2 gum and found that viral RNA levels dropped suddenly to almost undetectable levels.
The team is currently working towards obtaining permission to conduct a clinical trial to evaluate whether the method is safe and effective when tested in people infected with SARS-CoV-2.
If clinical trials prove the gum is safe and effective, the researchers add, it could be used in patients with unknown infection status, to reduce the chance of transmitting the virus to others. caregiver.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
