Can chewing gum reduce Covid transmission? Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have created a vegetable protein chewing gum that may be able to trap Sars-Cov-2, reducing its viral load and potential transmission.
The prototype created by the research team of Professor Henry Daniell of the School of Dental Medicine has the potential to become a low-cost tool to combat the pandemic, stemming one of the main sources of contagion: saliva.
The results of the first tests in the laboratory, carried out with chewing simulators on human saliva of patients with Covid, were published in the scientific journal Molecular Therapy, thus paving the way for a new, unusual form of prevention, even if it is clear from immediately that it could be an adjuvant, not a solution to the problem, provided that the data obtained so far are confirmed by the next experiments.
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According to American researchers, the vegetable rubber polymer equipped with Ace2 receptors is able to intercept the Spike protein of Sars-Cov-2, thus inhibiting what is the “door” that the virus uses to enter human cells, limiting the infection in the mouth in which it is found, as well as in the case of the transmission of saliva with a kiss, with a sneeze, a blow of coughing or just talking. In vitro, the anti-Covid chewing gum has been shown to be effective in inactivating the virus so as to avoid contagion with each variant tested. Now it will be necessary to see how it will actually behave in the mouth of people with the virus, to understand if the spread will actually be limited. It will be even more difficult to estimate the percentage of protection from infection that a “non-sick person” will be able to ensure only by chewing gum.
“Sars-Cov-2 replicates in the salivary glands and we know that when someone is infected, sneezes, coughs or talks, some of that virus can be excreted and reach the others,” explains Dr. Daniell. “This gum offers the opportunity to neutralize the virus in saliva, providing us with an easy way to reduce a source of transmission. “Before the pandemic, Daniell had already studied Ace2, the angiotensin converting enzyme protein, for the treatment of hypertension. His lab cultivated this protein, so like many others, using a patented plant-based production system. So they began experimenting on Covid, to understand if their plant Ace2 receptors were effective enough to fight the virus. And the first tests carried out together with the virologist Ronald Collman of Penn Medicine, have validated their thesis.
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Instead of being manufactured with latex, a plant that grows in Central America, the rubber used for this experiment is extracted from a genetically modified lettuce, grown with hydroponic techniques by Fraunhofer USA and then transformed into a chewable candy by Per Os Biosciences. But while these results look promising, there are a number of reasons why we can’t compare this gum to a face mask today.
“This is an early stage research, which means that the experiments conducted in the laboratory under controlled conditions cannot be compared to real situations, which are dynamic and never the same”, explains the Professor Paolo Pera of the University of Genoa. “As much as it may be of appeal, even on a commercial level, we are certainly far from a real product. Since saliva represents an important source of contagion, it would be a nice solution, but we must not delude ourselves”.
“The study is very interesting, original and promising, albeit in a pre-clinical setting – confirms professor Elena Maria Varoni of the University of Milan -. The authors wanted to investigate, for the first time, the possibility of using chewing gum containing an enzyme to trap the virus present in the saliva and make it harmless. Sars-Cov-2, in fact, uses the receptors of the Ace2 protein to enter cells: providing, through a gum, this enzyme allows to saturate the receptors of the mouth, so that they are no longer available for the virus. It has also been seen how Ace2 binds directly to the spike protein, allowing it to be trapped. Given the growing concern worldwide for emerging variants, this study opens the door to a new and simple approach, aimed at reducing the possibility of transmission through saliva and, therefore, the aerosol. This approach can be very useful to protect against the risk of infection in the family and in those healthcare settings where the patient cannot wear the mask during the procedure, such as in the case of dental treatments “.
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“Could the environment in a person’s mouth, such as body temperature and oral bacteria affect the effectiveness of the gum? And how long will it continue to work?” virologist Grace Roberts of the University of Leeds on The Conversation. “Regarding efficacy against different variants, such as Omicron, the principles of virology give us reason to be optimistic. Regardless of mutations, Sars-Cov-2 enters human cells by attaching itself to the Ace2 proteins, which is the key to functioning. of this gum, but it’s unclear how it might work as a prophylaxis, as the virus can be transmitted through multiple routes, including the eyes and nose. this gum could have exciting prospects in a clinical setting, for example by reducing its uptake in dental offices or hospital wards, and used in conjunction with current methods such as face masks and vaccination. But more research will be needed before we start chewing it. “
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