Layer-by-Layer Assembly of a Polysaccharide “Armor” on the Cell Surface Enabling the Prophylaxis of Virus Infection

Abstract

Airborne pathogens, such as the world-spreading severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), cause global epidemics via transmission through the respiratory pathway. It is of great urgency to develop adequate interventions that can protect individuals against future pandemics. This study presents a nasal spray that forms a polysaccharide “armor” on the cell surface through the layer-by-layer self-assembly (LBL) method to minimize the risk of virus infection. The nasal spray has two separate components: chitosan and alginate. Harnessing the electrostatic interaction, inhaling the two polysaccharides alternatively enables the assembly of a barrier that reduces virus uptake into the cells. The results showed that this approach has no obvious cellular injury and endows cells with the ability to resist the infection of adenovirus and SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus. Such a method can be a potential preventive strategy for protecting the respiratory tract against multiple viruses, especially the upcoming SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Polysaccharides for Medical Technology: Properties and Applications

“…The properties of polysaccharide‐based materials can be tuned with respect to molecular weight, structural orientation as well as fabrication strategies. Various fields of medical research are explored such as tissue engineering, [ 1 ] drug delivery system, [ 2 ] face masks, [ 3 ] and biosensors. [ 4 ]…”

“…The properties of polysaccharide-based materials can be tuned with respect to molecular weight, structural orientation as well as fabrication strategies. Various fields of medical research are explored such as tissue engineering, [1] drug delivery system, [2] face masks, [3] and biosensors. [4] By definition, a polysaccharide is a long chain of carbohydrates composed of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic linkages.…”

“…[12] One of the most abundant naturally occurring polysaccharides is cellulose which is found mainly in plants and in some bacteria. It is a linear polymer chain of several hundred to thousands of 𝛽 (1)(2)(3)(4) linked Dglucose. It has high chemical resistance, excellent dimensional stability as well as high stiffness.…”

“…[17,18] Another important polysaccharide is hyaluronic acid. It is a polysaccharide composed of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-Dglucosamine, linked by alternating 𝛽- (1)(2)(3)(4) and 𝛽-(1-3) glycosidic bonds. Hyaluronic acid is a major component of skin extracellular matrix.…”

In Situ Growth of Functional Hydrogel Coatings by a Reactive Polyurethane for Biomedical Devices

“…Indeed, various surface modification techniques have been designed and constructed in recent years, such as surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP), − layer-by-layer self-assembly, , , and mussel-inspired strategies. , These innovative techniques not only are exquisitely designed but also integrate multiple features to show exceptional performance (antifouling, low-lubricity, antimicrobial, etc.) in the laboratory.…”