Heparin Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Replication in Human Nasal Epithelial Cells.
Viruses
; 14(12)2022 11 24.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2123875
ABSTRACT
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccination, supported by social and public health measures, has proven efficacious for reducing disease severity and virus spread. However, the emergence of highly transmissible viral variants that escape prior immunity highlights the need for additional mitigation approaches. Heparin binds the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and can inhibit virus entry and replication in susceptible human cell lines and bronchial epithelial cells. Primary infection predominantly occurs via the nasal epithelium, but the nasal cell biology of SARS-CoV-2 is not well studied. We hypothesized that prophylactic intranasal administration of heparin may provide strain-agnostic protection for household contacts or those in high-risk settings against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therefore, we investigated the ability of heparin to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication in differentiated human nasal epithelial cells and showed that prolonged exposure to heparin inhibits virus infection. Furthermore, we establish a method for PCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes in heparin-treated samples that can be adapted for the detection of viruses in clinical studies.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Virus Replication
/
Heparin
/
Epithelial Cells
/
SARS-CoV-2
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Topics:
Vaccines
/
Variants
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
V14122620
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