Unveiling the Potential Role of Nanozymes in Combating the COVID-19 Outbreak

Abstract

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is considered as one of the biggest public health challenges and medical emergencies of the century. A global health emergency demands an urgent development of rapid diagnostic tools and advanced therapeutics for the mitigation of COVID-19. To cope with the current crisis, nanotechnology offers a number of approaches based on abundance and versatile functioning. Despite major developments in early diagnostics and control of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), there is still a need to find effective nanomaterials with low cost, high stability and easy use. Nanozymes are nanomaterials with innate enzyme-like characteristics and exhibit great potential for various biomedical applications such as disease diagnosis and anti-viral agents. Overall the potential and contribution of nanozymes in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 infection i.e., rapid detection, inhibition of the virus at various stages, and effective vaccine development strategies, is not fully explored. This paper discusses the utility and potential of nanozymes from the perspective of COVID-19. Moreover, future research directions and potential applications of nanozymes are highlighted to overcome the challenges related to early diagnosis and therapeutics development for the SARS-CoV-2. We anticipate the current perspective will play an effective role in the existing response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Recent Advancements in the Formulation of Nanomaterials-Based Nanozymes, Their Catalytic Activity, and Biomedical Applications

“…Thus, in indirect ELISA, the conjugated nanozyme is a cost-effective strategy that lowers dependency on basic molecular techniques used for virus detection. 148 Consequently, these nanozymes may function as immunostimulatory substances that provoke protective action against SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, nanozymes having catalase-or superoxide dismutase-like activity can aid in the detoxification of ROS and hence prevent inflammatory and age-related disorders by employing ROS scavenging properties.…”

“…The nanozymes can also be utilized for enhancing the sensitivity for serological testing, such as ELISA for Covid detection. Thus, in indirect ELISA, the conjugated nanozyme is a cost-effective strategy that lowers dependency on basic molecular techniques used for virus detection . Consequently, these nanozymes may function as immunostimulatory substances that provoke protective action against SARS-CoV-2.…”

Advances in Nanozymes as a Paradigm for Viral Diagnostics and Therapy

“…3) . Thus, Nanozymes have been studied as a successful therapeutic/diagnostic agent for treating this global pandemic in many ways (Ali et al, 2021). Furthermore, since nanomaterials composed of ZnO, AgNPs, Ag nanowires, and glutathione-coated AgS2 nanoclusters have shown anti-viral effects after coronaviruses, the use of these nanomaterials as Nanozymes could also be explored for inhibiting the viral entry inside the host, disrupting its attachment with the spike protein, and blocking the SARS-CoV-2 transcription once it is inside the host cell.…”

COVID‐19 cooling: Nanostrategies targeting cytokine storm for controlling severe and critical symptoms

“…IONPs bind to S1‐RBD to form the most stable complex, which is associated with conformational changes in viral structural proteins and viral inactivation, thereby inhibiting viral entry into host cells. Another study 130 demonstrated that IONPs can inactivate or destroy the virus itself by stimulating lipid peroxidation of the viral envelope. So it is possible that the IONPs inactivation spectrum could also expand.…”