Biosensing surfaces and therapeutic biomaterials for the central nervous system in COVID-19

Abstract

COVID-19 can affect the central nervous system (CNS) indirectly by inflammatory mechanisms and even directly enter the CNS. Thereby, COVID-19 can evoke a range of neurosensory conditions belonging to infectious, inflammatory, demyelinating, and degenerative classes. A broad range of non-specific options, including anti-viral agents and anti-inflammatory protocols, is available with varying therapeutic. Due to the high mortality and morbidity in COVID-19-related brain damage, some changes to these general protocols, however, are necessary for ensuring the delivery of therapeutic(s) to the specific components of the CNS to meet their specific requirements. The biomaterials approach permits crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and drug delivery in a more accurate and sustained manner. Beyond the BBB, drugs can protect neural cells, stimulate endogenous stem cells, and induce plasticity more effectively. Biomaterials for cell delivery exist, providing an efficient tool to improve cell retention, survival, differentiation, and integration. This paper will review the potentials of the biomaterials approach for the damaged CNS in COVID-19. It mainly includes biomaterials for promoting synaptic plasticity and modulation of inflammation in the post-stroke brain, extracellular vesicles, exosomes, and conductive biomaterials to facilitate neural regeneration, and artificial nerve conduits for treatment of neuropathies. Also, biosensing surfaces applicable to the first sensory interface between the host and the virus that encourage the generation of accelerated anti-viral immunity theoretically offer hope in solving COVID-19.

Keywords: Artificial nose; Biomaterial; Brain; CNS; COVID-19; Central nervous system; Cytokine storm; Drug delivery; Infection; Inflammation; Intracerebral hemorrhage; Neuropathies; Nose; Olfaction; Stroke.

Fig. 1

Approaches for drug delivery to the brain: advantages and disadvantages (Prepared with data from [66])

Fig. 2

Timeline of early (pink) and delayed (blue) inflammatory mechanisms in the post-stroke brain (Prepared with data from [93])

Fig. 3

Endogenous and exogenous modulators of synaptic plasticity after stroke (Prepared with data from [68])

Fig. 4

Hyaluronic acid and its receptors and signaling pathways in neural and glial cells. Physiologically, they contribute to cell-specific behaviors, although by upregulation of TLR2 and TL4 signaling pathways they may play role in neuropathologies (Prepared with data from [106])

Fig. 5

The potentials of hyaluronic acid (HA) scaffolds prepared by chemical modifications (Prepared with data from [106])

Fig. 6

Pro-sensing biohybrids for the generation of accelerated anti-viral immunity applicable to the first sensory interface between the host and SARS-CoV-2

Fig. 7

Biomaterials: potential tools for the CNS in COVID-19