- A team of researchers at Ohio State University has developed tiny protein fragments that can block the new coronavirus from infecting cells and can be turned into a potential COVID-19 treatment that can be administered by anyone.
- Like neutralizing antibodies resulting from infection or vaccination by coronavirus, the peptides bind to the spike protein, preventing the virus from connecting to ACE2 receptors and infecting cells.
- The peptides could be used to develop a nasal spray that would prevent the virus from infecting cells in the nasal cavity and lungs, as well as other drugs that could block the virus’s spiny protein.
New coronavirus vaccines authorized for emergency use now serve the same purpose and work similarly, regardless of the underlying technology. Vaccines are expected to prevent severe COVID-19 and death, and Phase 3 trials have shown that various drugs can do this with varying degrees of effectiveness. But that means that a vaccinated individual can still contract the virus. The coronavirus can still replicate inside the nose and try to attach to lung cells. But the vaccine will train the immune system to block cells infected by the virus, which would reduce the pathogen’s ability to damage the body. Vaccines target the virus’s spike protein, teaching the immune system to mass produce neutralizing antibodies that can prevent it from binding to ACE2 receptors on cells.
Vaccines can be adapted to deal with new mutations, such as the flu vaccine, which is renewed every year. But if this new nasal spray works as well as the researchers claim, there may be other ways to prevent the virus from causing damage to your body.
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The Ohio State University researchers studied the chemical bonds between the coronavirus and the ACE2 receptor that sits outside the cells of the nose, lungs and other organs to understand how the two “shake hands”. The coronavirus needs to infect cells to survive. To do this, it binds to the ACE2 receptor and then takes control of the chemical plant within the cell to replicate itself. Their offspring leaves the dying cell with the mission to infect other cells. This happens repeatedly until the immune system arrives to stop the virus and remove debris, including dead cells.
After analyzing the coronavirus-ACE2 link, the researchers found fragments of proteins called peptides that may appear to the virus as a portion of the ACE2 receptor. These peptides would bind to the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein, blocking the virus from infecting cells. This process is similar to the functioning of neutralizing antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that the immune system makes after exposure to the virus or after vaccination. They also inhibit the same peak protein. The difference between them is that the immune system will produce more antibodies for months after infection or vaccination, perhaps years. The peptides would need to be applied to the respiratory system with the help of a nasal spray. But that may be enough to prevent the virus from multiplying.
Preventing replication would reduce the viral load in an infected person. This would also reduce the risk of complications and death and could speed recovery. In addition, by reducing the viral load in the lungs and nose, this potential treatment for coronavirus could reduce the likelihood that an infected person will transmit the disease to others.
“Our goal is that whenever SARS-CoV-2 comes into contact with the peptides, the virus is inactivated. This is because the virus’s Spike protein is already linked to something it needs to use to bind to the cell, ”said study co-author Amit Sharma in a statement. “To do this, we have to catch the virus while it is still outside the cell.”
Sharma and his team analyzed images of the coronavirus spike protein and the ACE2 receptor, expanding the regions where the two elements interact. After understanding the chemical connections, they focused on the spiral ribbon-shaped tail of the ACE2 receptor to design the peptides.
“Most of the peptides we design are based on the tape in contact with the spike,” said Sharma. “We focus on creating the shortest possible peptides with the minimum of essential contacts.”
The team tested several peptides in laboratory tests and found that two of the candidates effectively reduced the infection compared to the control groups. These peptides can be used to develop other substances that can neutralize the virus, not just COVID-19 treatments, such as nasal sprays. They could be incorporated into aerosolized surface disinfectants, which would neutralize the virus even before it reached the human body.
Sharma and his team will now focus on developing aspects of their coronavirus inhibitors for therapeutic purposes. The researchers will also test their peptides for emerging virus mutations. Clinical trials will be needed to validate the effectiveness of this potential treatment of coronaviruses in humans before any related COVID-19 drugs can be made available to the general public.
The Ohio State University study can be viewed at Bioconjugate Chemistry.
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Chris Smith started writing about gadgets as a hobby and, before he knew it, was already sharing his views on technology with readers around the world. Whenever he’s not writing about gadgets, he miserably fails to stay away from them, although he tries desperately. But this is not necessarily a bad thing.