Fight COVID-19 Virus With Newly Developed Chewing Gum

Highlights:

COVID-19 virus first infects cells in the throat and so the mouth is a key reservoir of the virus
Inactivating that virus in the mouth and saliva could reduce viral load and stops the infection spread
Based on these facts, scientists developed new chewing gum that might join face masks and hand sanitizers in the anti-COVID arsenal

An experimental chewing gum that reduces COVID-19 particles in saliva holds promise for curbing transmission of new variants of the virus, according to researchers preparing to launch the first human trial.

The gum contains copies of the ACE2 protein found on cell surfaces, which the coronavirus uses to break into cells and infect them. The findings were reported in Molecular Therapy.

Developing Chewing Gum that Could Reduce COVID-19 Transmission

In test-tube experiments using saliva from individuals infected with the Delta or Omicron variants, the virus particles attached themselves to the ACE2 "receptors" in the chewing gum and the viral load fell to undetectable levels.

Post-COVID Syndrome
Post-COVID complications are the conditions that develop weeks after recovering from COVID-19

‘A plant-grown protein that traps the COVID-19 virus in saliva, would reduce symptoms and lower the risk of transmitting the virus to others.’

Tweet it Now

In the clinical trial, COVID-19 patients will each chew four ACE2 gum tablets each day for four days. The "viral trap" ACE2 proteins in the gum are carried within engineered lettuce cells.

A second experimental chewing gum made with bean powder instead of lettuce cells not only traps SARS-CoV-2 particles in lab experiments but also influenza strains, other coronaviruses that cause common colds, and potentially other oral viruses such as human papillomavirus and herpesvirus.

“Because the nasal transmission is negligible when compared to oral transmission. Chewing ACE2 gum and swallowing ACE2 protein should minimize infection, protect COVID-19 patients and prevent transmission,” said research leader Dr. Henry Daniell of the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Omicron Variant of COVID-19
Omicron variant is a mutated strain of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) with faster transmissibility and enhanced virulence compared to the original COVID-19 virus.

The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein, found on the surface of many human cells, acts as a gateway for the virus to infect them. If delivered to the mouth by chewing gum, however, ACE2 could instead trap the virus by binding to the spike protein it uses to infect cells.

The protein in the gum could also bind to receptors on cells themselves, thereby blocking infection sites. This combination could prevent viruses from infecting cells in the oral cavity.

COVID-19: Diet Plan and Lifestyle Modifications for the Unlock Phase
Healthy eating habits and adherence to physical activity are required during COVID-19 lockdown. WHO has prepared a set of general tips that you could follow during the lockdown to stay fit and healthy.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, typically first infects human cells in the nose and throat. But the mouth is also a key reservoir of the virus in an infected person.

The new study contends that inactivating the virus in the mouth’s mucous membranes and saliva could reduce infection in the adjoining nasopharyngeal area, too. If additional research bears out these findings, the gum might join face masks and hand sanitizers in the anti-COVID arsenal.

How does Chewing Gum Reduce the COVID-19 Virus in Saliva?

To study this strategy, a team led by University of Pennsylvania pharmaceutical researcher Henry Daniell genetically modified lettuce plants to produce a soluble form of ACE2 (which has been proved safe at high dosages in animals). The lettuce was then powdered and blended with cinnamon-flavored chewing gum.

Why Gyms Can be COVID-19 Hotspots?
Gyms’ and fitness centers’ studies during COVID-19 showed that the virus spreads faster in exercising people.

The researchers tested the protein’s effectiveness in hamster cells modified to produce human ACE2 receptors. They found that a relatively small quantity of the protein, coming from the gum, was associated with a 95 percent reduction in the amount of cell penetration by a stand-in virus equipped with SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins.

The amount of a similar stand-in virus inside unmodified monkey cells also dropped by 85 percent when exposed to the protein. Adding the gum to saliva samples and swabs of nasal and throat fluid from a handful of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 was associated with a more than 95 percent reduction in the virus amount.

The research team is awaiting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to test the gum’s effectiveness in humans. Testing with a chewing machine suggests the protein would be released over 10 minutes, and estimates protection would last four hours. They are also testing the chewing-gum approach against influenza.

Even if the gum does not fully defend a chewer against infection, it might reduce spread by cutting down the amount of virus in an infected person’s mouth and thus reducing how much is available for transmission.

References:

https://dnascience.plos.org/2022/06/02/can-chewing-gum-protect-against-covid/
https://biologicalsciences.leeds.ac.uk/biological-sciences/news/article/330/could-a-chewing-gum-really-reduce-the-spread-of-covid-19

Source-Medindia