Can Your Saliva Protect You from COVID-19?

  Scientists from Osaka Metropolitan University have identified proteins in human saliva that have a protective role against SARS-CoV2 infection. The binding of the S1 spike protein of the SARS-CoV2 virus and the human ACE2 receptors is a key step in the transmission and infection of the virus . Proteins in saliva from healthy individuals, particularly histone H2A and neutrophil elastase , i nhibit this process by binding to the S1-binding site of the ACE2 receptors. Researchers used pulldown assays and ELISA-based studies to evaluate the binding interactions between salivary proteins and human ACE2 receptors and their effect on spike protein S1 binding.

Saliva was collected from eight healthy individuals. The results showed that saliva from SARS-CoV-2 uninfected individuals interferes with S1 and ACE2 binding in a concentration-dependent manner. The findings suggest a protective…