Vulnerability of SARS-CoV-2 and PR8 H1N1 virus to cold atmospheric plasma activated media

Osvaldo Daniel Cortázar,Ana Megía-Macías,Eduardo Gómez-Casado,Sandra Moreno,Alejandro Brun

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-04360-y

Osvaldo Daniel Cortázar, Ana Megía-Macías + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04360-y

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Journal: Scientific Reports	Publication Date: Jan 7, 2022
Citations: 12	License type: open-access

Affiliation: Comillas Pontifical University

Abstract

Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) and Plasma Activated Media (PAM) are effective against bacteria, fungi, cancer cells, and viruses because they can deliver Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species (RONS) on a living tissue with negligible damage on health cells. The antiviral activity of CAP against SARS-CoV-2 is being investigated, however, the same but of PAM has not been explored despite its potential. In the present study, the capability of Plasma Activated Media (PAM) to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and PR8 H1N1 influenza virus with negligible damage on healthy cells is demonstrated. PAM acted by both virus detaching and diminished replication. Furthermore, the treatment of A549 lung cells at different times with buffered PAM did not induce interleukin 8 expression, showing that PAM did not induce inflammation. These results open a new research field by using PAM to the development novel treatments for COVID-19, influenza, and other respiratory diseases.

Highlights

Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) and Plasma Activated Media (PAM) are effective against bacteria, fungi, cancer cells, and viruses because they can deliver Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species (RONS) on a living tissue with negligible damage on health cells
In this paper we show in-vitro experiments demonstrating the vulnerability of SARS-CoV-2 and PR8 H1N1 influenza A virus to PAMs with a minimal or neglectable damage to healthy cells with especial emphasis on non-inflammatory processes
Two types of PAMs were used for the experiments: Plasma Activated Water (PAW) made with distilled water and buffered PAW made by buffering PAW with 10% of 10X PBS in volume

Summary

Introduction

Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) and Plasma Activated Media (PAM) are effective against bacteria, fungi, cancer cells, and viruses because they can deliver Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species (RONS) on a living tissue with negligible damage on health cells. The capability of Plasma Activated Media (PAM) to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and PR8 H1N1 influenza virus with negligible damage on healthy cells is demonstrated. Examples of plasmas are found in nature as lightnings, northern lights, stars and in a wide range of technological applications from nuclear fusion to illumination Such a broad spectrum of plasmas responds to the distribution of energy among species of molecules and particles that compose them. In the case that concerns us here, the plasmas of interest are those called Cold Atmospheric Plasmas (CAP) These are strongly out of thermodynamic equilibrium and they can transmit a relatively small amount of thermal energy to other bodies or materials. Experiments with a fine aerosol of PAM on virus samples strongly aim to possibilities of developing a wide spectrum treatment on the base of a simple nebulization technique for respiratory tract diseases as COVID-19, flu, and others

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