Treatment of Viral Diseases part-2

Nanotechnology to combat coronavirus

Through many years and decades of evolution, many viruses have acquired different molecular mechanisms to enter the cells. They go through different modification mechanisms, inhibition and activation before entering into the cells and alter the defense mechanism of the host. They possess the ability to transfer genes into the host genome. By this natural ability of viruses, they are used for medicinal purposes. Gene-therapy is made possible by the recombinant viral-vectors. Drug-delivery systems are also inspired by looking at the natural capability of these viruses. In nanomedicine, researchers have worked on designing the various nanosystems which can copy the gene-transfer capacity and the high infectivity shown by viral vectors. Molecular mechanisms can be studied and learned in order to develop various delivery systems in the nanomedicine. Cancer therapy and other regenerative medicine use delivery systems that have been developed by biomedical researchers. Nanotechnology develop different delivery tools that are virology inspired tools. It is also useful in fighting against the dangerous viruses.

Mortality rate as well as morbidity have been increasing day by day and it is a worldwide problem. This is because of the viral infections. Economical losses have been increased to a greater extent due to these viral infections and this pandemic. Vaccination is seen as the standard treatment method along with therapeutics which are derived by targeting the key processes in the life cycle of viruses. But with the passage of time, these viruses become drug resistant and modify their genome according to it. So, new drugs are developed by using additional resources to cope up with this situation. In china, the coronavirus was identified for the very first time. Such drugs are needed to be introduced to combat and stand against this disease. Modern technologies are also working towards it. The sequencing of the genome of the SARS-CoV-2 has already been done. It shows similarities at key genes with the other infection causing coronaviruses that causes respiratory and pulmonary diseases like that of SARS-CoV. When SARS-CoV epidemic is studied then it provided some useful knowledge that the humans have surface receptor and an enzyme is needed for taking-in towards the host cells. The enzyme which serves this purpose is known as angiotensin-converting enzyme-II abbreviated as ACE2. Many strategies are proposed to block the binding of ACE2 enzyme. S protein should not bind to the enzyme. This binding step needs to be disrupted at the initial stage which could be possible by the following ways: (1) the uptake by the host cells can be prevented by the administration of the soluble and recombinant ACE2-protein (2) the second method make use of the vaccination with the antibodies which specifically attach to the S-protein so that it interferes with the ACE2 enzyme interaction (3) the host proteases are inhibited for the processing of S protein which are essential as well as necessary for the ACE2 binding and for enabling the intracellular delivery by the virus, membrane fusion is necessary.

In the figure, it is depicted how the virus shows interaction with the target-cells showing ACE2. The initial events and processes of the disease are at the major molecular level. The symptoms are visible after few days or weak and a good strategy needs to be addressed to save people from these life-threatening viral infections. The persistent pre-existing viruses are a threat to life so they should be destroyed soon. Also, the infection by the host cell can be prevented by applying a good strategy. Other organs also get affected by the virus and hyperinflammation can occur in the lungs along with other organ-failure. Drug repurposing is a process which gives FDA-approved drugs that gives us the map of many viral proteins along with the human proteome. It takes years to work on drugs and vaccines before making it available for commercial purposes to ensure the efficiency and safety of the drugs as well as vaccines. Some drugs become resistant to viruses thus reducing the efficacy of the drugs. Antiviral therapies and their development process require decades before making therapies for local residents. Due to the mutations that keeps on occurring in their genetic makeup, they become drug-resistant as it is seen in other viral endemics. For the past few decades, the interest has been developed towards the broad-spectrum antiviral entities which do not easily become resistant towards drugs and can be used against the new variants and class of various viruses. Most importantly, this is essential at this critical stage until and unless, new drugs and vaccines could be introduced and be worked upon to target these new emerging-viruses.

Nanotechnology can be used to work against these viruses and it could solve this problem both outside as well as inside of the host. Nanotechnology-based platforms proved to be a success in fighting against viral pathogens like that of HIV, herpes simplex, respiratory viruses and human papilloma-virus. Nanotechnology-based approaches are needed to be leveraged to fight against the future pandemics as well as coronavirus. Different drugs and vaccines can be transported to the body by the aid of nanomaterials for fast drug delivery and targeted therapies of the lungs. Nanotechnology has benefitted mankind in many ways: I) it is fast and rapid ii) highly specific and specific for the detection of infection and serological tests iii) masks with superfine filters are a fruit of nanotechnology. Superfine filters are also employed in blood filtering process. iii) surface coating which are resistant towards viral adhesion and also possess the ability to inactivate the coronavirus iv) the tools can be improved for the contact tracing.