Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2: The old door for new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection

Rev Med Virol. 2020 Sep;30(5):e2122. doi: 10.1002/rmv.2122. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

Abstract

Coronavirus (CoV) disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the genus Betacoronavirus, and it is phylogenetically closely related to SARS-CoV, a human CoV that caused an outbreak back in 2002 to 2003. Both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV enter human cells via the interactions between viral crown-like spike protein and human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Here, we aim to review the involvement of ACE2 in human CoV infections by discussing the roles of ACE2 in CoV evolution, cross-species transmissibility, and COVID-19 susceptibility. We also provide our perspectives on COVID-19 treatment and prevention.

Keywords: ACE2; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • Animals
  • Betacoronavirus / classification
  • Betacoronavirus / genetics*
  • Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity
  • Biological Evolution
  • COVID-19
  • Chiroptera / virology
  • Coronavirus Infections / physiopathology
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology*
  • Eutheria / virology
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / genetics*
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • Pneumonia, Viral / physiopathology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology*
  • Protein Binding
  • Receptors, Virus / genetics*
  • Receptors, Virus / metabolism
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / physiopathology
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / virology
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / classification
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / genetics*
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / pathogenicity
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / genetics*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / metabolism
  • Virus Internalization

Substances

  • Receptors, Virus
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
  • ACE2 protein, human
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2