Salivary Coronavirus Infection Therapy With Potential Soluble Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2

doi:10.15406/jhvrv.2021.09.00240

Journal of

eISSN: 2373-6453

Human Virology & Retrovirology

Editorial Volume 9 Issue 1

Salivary Coronavirus Infection Therapy With Potential Soluble Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2

Attapon Cheepsattayakorn,^1,2

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Ruangrong Cheepsattayakorn,³ Porntep Siriwanarangsun¹

¹Faculty of Medicine, Western University, Pathumtani Province, Thailand
²10th Zonal Tuberculosis and Chest Disease Center, Chiang Mai, Thailand
³Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Correspondence: , Tel 66 53 27636 4, Fax 66 53 273 590

Received: December 16, 2021 | Published: December 31, 2021

Citation: Cheepsattayakorn A, Cheepsattayakorn R, Siriwanarangsun P. Salivary Coronavirus Infection Therapy With Potential Soluble Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2. J Hum Virol Retrovirolog. 2021;9(1):34. DOI: 10.15406/jhvrv.2021.09.00240

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Editorial

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2), a monocarboxypeptidase for cleaving several peptides within the renin-angiotensin system and other substrates that widely expressed in the gastrointestinal tract and the kidneys, with relatively low expression in the lungs (Figure 1).¹ Interestingly, higher RNA expression of ACE 2 in lung AT2 cells was found in Asian donors, compared to African and white American donors.² Soluble ACE 2 that lacks the membrane anchor circulates in small volumes in the blood.³ ACE 2 and TMPRSS 2 protein expression are identified mainly in the cytoplasm and cytomembrane of the epithelial cells in the serous acinus cells in submandibular and parotid salivary glands and in vitro, exogenous ACE 2 and TMPRSS 2 can anchor and fuse to human oral mucosa and the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 can bind to ACE 2 receptors in the salivary glands.⁴ A recent study demonstrated that during the hospitalization period, 25 % of COVID-19 patients reported of taste impairment, 20 % of patients reported of difficulty in swallowing, and 15 % of patients reported of burning sensation.⁵ A recent study proposed that chewing gum with SARS-CoV-2-trapping proteins can debulking virus in saliva and minimizing viral transmission (Figure 2).⁶

Figure 1 Demonstrating schematic of coronavirus (CoV) spike protein (S) binding to the surface receptor that is full-length ACE 2 (Soluble ACE 2 administration may prevent binding of the SARS-CoV-2 viral particle to the surface-bound, full-length ACE 2 by acting as a competitive interceptor of SDARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses).⁷

Figure 2 Demonstrating debulking and blocking of viral entry Using ACE 2 chewing gum.⁶

CTB (Cholera Toxin B)-ACE 2 binds to both ACE 2 and GM 1 (monosialotetrahexosylganglioside, prototype of ganglioside) co-receptors
Each SARS-CoV-2 trimeric spike protein has a single RBD (Receptor-Binding Domain) domain and two GM 1 binding sites. CTB-ACE 2 pentamers form microparticles, insoluble and sediment SARS-CoV-2 upon binding to soluble ACE 2, in monomer, dimer, or trimer forms. CTB-ACE 2 also directly binds to ACE 2 and GM 1 receptors, then blocking entry into human or Vero cells.

In conclusion, soluble recombinant human ACE 2 protein could be a novel potential biotherapeutic to fight against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses infection and progression.