Scientists have created a nasal spray to prevent the Covid-19 virus from entering the lungs.
- As of January 15, there were 4,166 new confirmed cases in France, according to Santé Publique France.
- Based on the epidemiological situation, WHO recommendations related to wearing a mask were reinforced on Friday January 13.
- Masks are recommended for anyone in a crowded, closed or poorly ventilated space, according to the WHO.
A little shot of nasal spray every morning, to prevent Covid? This is what a team of engineers from Johns Hopkins University, in Maryland, in the United States, is planning.
Nasal spray: certain molecules can stop Sars-CoV-2
They have indeed created filaments of molecules, called supramolecular filaments, designed to be vaporized in the nose and block the Covid-19 virus:
“The idea is that the filaments work like a sponge to soak up the Covid-19 virus and other viruses before they have a chance to bind to cells in our airways. Although the treatment can block the virus for an hour or two, it can be useful when people need to be in a public placesaid research team leader Honggang Cui, a principal investigator at the Institute for NanoBioTechnology and an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering.
Covid-19 enters cells through the ACE2 receptor
According to their results published in the journal matter, the filaments carry a receptor called angiotensin-converting enzyme-2, or ACE2, which is also present in the cells of the nasal lining, the surface of the lungs and the small intestine. It plays many biological roles, such as regulating blood pressure and inflammation, the authors say.
“The new coronavirus enters our body mainly through interactions with this receptor. The virus’ signature spike protein clicks into this receptor, much like a key in a lock, allowing it to enter the cell and replicate. Once the virus is locked into the cell, it prevents the cell from performing its normal functions, leading to and exacerbating infections”, they write.
Nasal spray also effective against other respiratory viruses
The research team’s newly designed filament, called fACE2, would act as a decoy for the Covid-19 protein without causing unpredictable complications. The team tested their concept in mouse models and found that their filament was present in rodent lungs up to 24 hours later and did not cause inflammation or damage to lung structures.
Scientists are optimistic about the future of this method as they predict it could work just as well on any current or future variant of Covid-19. Additionally, fACE2 could also be used on other respiratory viruses that use the ACE2 receptor to infiltrate cells, such as the influenza virus.