Air pollution particulate matter as a potential carrier of SARS-CoV-2 to the nervous system and/or neurological symptom enhancer: arguments in favor

Abstract

Entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2 is expressed in nasal epithelial cells, and nasal delivery pathway can be a key feature of transmission. Here, a possibility of interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with air pollution particulate matter (PM) was considered. It was shown in our recent studies that water-suspended plastic and wood smoke aerosol PM and carbon-containing nanoparticles from burning organics can interact with the plasma membrane of brain nerve terminals presumably due to their lipid components. COVID-19 patients have neurological symptoms, viral particles were found in the brain, SARS-CoV-2 enters the cells via fusion of lipid viral envelope with the plasma membranes of infected cells, and so viral envelop can contain lipid components of the host neuronal membranes. Therefore, interaction of SARS-CoV-2 envelope with PM is possible in water surrounding. After drying, PM can serve as a carrier for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 immobilized at their surface. Moreover, PM and SARS-CoV-2 per se can enter human organism during nasal inhalation, and they both use the same nose-to-brain delivery pathways moving along axons directly to the brain, influencing the nervous system and exocytosis/endocytosis in nerve cells. Thus, PM can aggravate neurological symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 and vice versa, due to their identical nose-to-brain delivery mechanism and possible interference of neuronal effects. In addition, different types of PM because of their ability to interact with the plasma membranes of nerve cells can facilitate unspecific SARS-CoV-2 entrance to the cells, and can influence envelope features of SARS-CoV-2. Detailed studies are required to analyze interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with PM.

Positive association between outdoor air pollution and the incidence and severity of COVID-19. A review of the recent scientific evidences

“…Regarding the potential influence of these air pollutants on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the scientific evidence is much more limited, among other reasons since it has been much less investigated. However, it has been reported, for example, that PM could aggravate neurological symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 ( Borisova and Komisarenko, 2020 ), as well as respiratory and cardiovascular effects of COVID-19 ( Espejo et al, 2020 ; Tanwar et al, 2021 ). Air pollution could also mean a possible dangerous synergy with COVID-19 for semen quality and male fertility ( Montano et al, 2021a , b ).…”

Monitor Indoor Air Quality to Assess the Risk of COVID-19 Transmission

“…In [16] the role of environmental factors in the airborne transmission of COVID-19 virus is verified and it is concluded that the most favorable environment for spread is closed spaces with poor ventilation. Borisova and Komisarenko show that air pollution (dust particles or larger molecules) can be an air transport vehicle for COVID-19 virus [17] and moreover there is a possibility that the neurological symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 disease may be aggravated by this mode of transmission. An analysis performed in a hospital through laboratory tests of RT-PCR type performed on samples taken from the environment shows that classical mechanical ventilation is a good solution to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus [18].…”

Air Pollution and Mobility, What Carries COVID-19?

“…Furthermore, some authors have analyzed the short-term correlation between air pollution and the number of cases and deaths due to the pandemic (Borisova and Komisarenko 2020;Setti et al 2020). Previous studies for other viruses and bacteria inspire the hypothesis that air pollution could act as a carrier for the virus (Groulx et al 2018;Marquès et al 2021).…”