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Updated: Jul 25, 2025
Engineering Antiviral Agents via Surface Plasmon Resonance
Published on: June 14, 2022
Antiviral Peptides Delivered by Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles to Neutralize SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43
Avinash Mali1, Gianluigi Franci2, Carla Zannella1
1Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy.
Abstract:
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that there is a crucial need for the design and development of antiviral agents that can efficiently reduce the fatality rate caused by infectious diseases. The fact that coronavirus mainly enters through the nasal epithelial cells and spreads through the nasal passage makes the nasal delivery of antiviral agents a promising strategy not only to reduce viral infection but also its transmission. Peptides are emerging as powerful candidates for antiviral treatments, showing not only a strong antiviral activity, but also improved safety, efficacy, and higher specificity against viral pathogens. Based on our previous experience on the use of chitosan-based nanoparticles to deliver peptides intra-nasally the current study aimed to explore the delivery of two-novel antiviral peptides making use of nanoparticles consisting of HA/CS and DS/CS. The antiviral peptides were chemically synthesized, and the optimal conditions for encapsulating them were selected through a combination of physical entrapment and chemical conjugation using HA/CS and DS/CS nanocomplexes. Finally, we evaluated the in vitro neutralization capacity against SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43 for potential use as prophylaxis or therapy.
Insights
Novel antiviral peptides delivered via hyaluronic acid/chitosan and dextran/chitosan nanoparticles show potential for nasal treatment against coronaviruses like SARS-CoV-2.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology in drug delivery
- Antiviral peptide development
- Infectious disease research
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for effective antiviral agents.
- Nasal delivery is a promising strategy for antiviral agents targeting respiratory viruses.
- Antiviral peptides offer high specificity, safety, and efficacy against viral pathogens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the nasal delivery of two novel antiviral peptides using hyaluronic acid/chitosan (HA/CS) and dextran/chitosan (DS/CS) nanoparticles.
- To evaluate the in vitro neutralization capacity of these peptide-loaded nanoparticles against SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43.
Main Methods:
- Chemical synthesis of novel antiviral peptides.
- Encapsulation of peptides into HA/CS and DS/CS nanocomplexes via physical entrapment and chemical conjugation.
- In vitro evaluation of the neutralization capacity against SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43.
Main Results:
- Successful encapsulation of antiviral peptides into HA/CS and DS/CS nanoparticles was achieved.
- The developed nanocomplexes demonstrated in vitro neutralization capacity against SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43.
Conclusions:
- HA/CS and DS/CS nanoparticles are effective carriers for nasal delivery of antiviral peptides.
- These peptide-loaded nanoparticles show potential for prophylaxis or therapy against coronavirus infections.
