Nasal Spray: How Soon Will This Treatment Option for COVID-19, Other Diseases be Available?

The potential of a nasal spray or mouthwash to contain or lessen the spread of COVID-19 infections and its variants is currently being investigated by researchers at QUT, Griffith University, and Xiamen University in China.

As indicated in a Medical Xpress report, the notion is based on the so-called CAP or cold atmospheric plasma, an ionized gas with many emerging medical applications, including decontamination of microbes, enhanced wound healing, and cancer and skin infection treatments.

Rik Thompson, a QUT Professor and research lead for QUT at the Translational Research Institute and co-leader of the QUT Cancer Research Network, explained that viruses like SARS-CoV-2 that are causing COVID-19 necessitate the receptor protein ACE2 on the surface of cells to bind to, and enter and infect cells.

Cell Exposure to CAP

In the study published in Theranostics, the researchers discovered that extremely brief cell exposure to CAP caused the nearly immediate ACE2 loss from the cell surface, and such a loss lessened the uptake of SARS-CoV-2 virus-like nanoparticles, which are binding to the ACE2 receptor, and actual SARS-CoV-2.

The activity of CAP can be transformed into water or other liquids known as plasma-activated medium or PAM, which is more universal, can be longer-lasting and broadens the scope of use.

Meaning, that CAP and PAM could inhibit the virus's entry into cells which could result in the development of approaches of direct delivery like mouthwash or nasal spray.

These could be used in situations of higher exposure, like before entering a shopping center, public transport, or cinema, where many people are indoors.

Investigating the Role in Combatting Infection Caused by SARS-CoV-2

The co-leader also explained that the ACE2 remained suppressed for nine hours in their culture systems and completely returned 12 hours after. Nonetheless, he added, they have not yet tested the impacts of sequential treatments that could extend the suppression.

Essentially, CAP is easy to produce and turn deactivated over time, making it an environmentally sound treatment choice.

Professor Thompson also explained that the team had transitioned their study to the effects of CAP on triple-negative breast cancer or TNBC cells, which lack the three receptors that can be targeted for treatment, to find out if it could have a role in fighting infection by SARS-CoV-2.

The team discovered that the responses to CAP were because of modification of some of the other receptors that are enhanced to the TNBC cells, so the researchers pivoted their work to look at the ACE2 receptor that is the key to infection by the SARS-CoV-2.

Novel CAP Use

According to Professor Thompson, they may have found a partial explanation as well, for the reason women are less likely to develop severe COVID-19, a similar Healthcareforbes report specified.

The female sex hormone E2 is similar to CAP in stimulating ACE2 loss and supports the shielding role of ACE2 internalization in combating severe COVID-19 infection.

Moreover, the use of CAP as protection against viral diseases is not limited to SARS-CoV-2 but may apply to any other viruses that use ACE2 to enter cells. Such results suggest additional research is needed for this novel CAP use.

Related information about a nasal spray for viruses is shown on Drbeen Medical Lecture's YouTube video below:

Check out more news and information on Medicine and Health in Science Times.