scholarly journals Role of natural drugs in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2: potential beneficial effects in prevention or prior treatment in elderly and cancer patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenio Boccalone ◽  
Veronica Maria Lanni ◽  
Valerio Massimo Magro

In 2019, a new coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), aroused the attention of the entire world. It causes an acute respiratory disease, by involving the same receptor, i.e. the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, as that for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), mainly spreads through the respiratory tract. The clinical symptoms in patients with of SARS-CoV-2 include fever, cough, dyspnea, fatigue and in a small percentage of patients also gastrointestinal symptoms have been reported...

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-20
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Maghool ◽  
◽  
Mohammad Hassan Emami ◽  
Samaneh Mohammadzadeh ◽  
Aida Heidari ◽  
...  

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2020, which has a substantial structural similarity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) that caused the outbreak in 2003, is currently a threat to global health. Lung involvement is the principal clinical feature in infected patients but extra-pulmonary clinical presentations are also common. The reasons for the extensive involvement of other organs are not yet clear. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the key peptide of renin–angiotensin system (RAS), has recently identified as a major receptor for the both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 that might be a main target of coronavirus infection. ACE2 is mainly expressed in the pulmonary pneumocytes, the small intestine enterocytes as well as the proximal tubule epithelial cells of the kidneys. In addition to the respiratory tract infection symptoms, the noticeable prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms as well as kidney impairment in hospitalized infected patients highlights other routes of infection/transmission. In present review, we discussed the role of RAS with emphasis on ACE2 in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, particularly in gastrointestinal and kidney manifestations of the diseases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (7) ◽  
pp. 747-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhian M. Touyz ◽  
Hongliang Li ◽  
Christian Delles

Abstract Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the major enzyme responsible for conversion of Ang II into Ang-(1-7). It also acts as the receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus (CoV)-2, which causes Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19. In recognition of the importance of ACE2 and to celebrate 20 years since its discovery, the journal will publish a focused issue on the basic science and (patho)physiological role of this multifunctional protein.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 2586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eilidh Bruce ◽  
Fenella Barlow-Pay ◽  
Roxanna Short ◽  
Arturo Vilches-Moraga ◽  
Angeline Price ◽  
...  

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection causes acute lung injury, resulting from aggressive inflammation initiated by viral replication. There has been much speculation about the potential role of non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which increase the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a binding target for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to enter the host cell, which could lead to poorer outcomes in COVID-19 disease. The aim of this study was to examine the association between routine use of NSAIDs and outcomes in hospitalised patients with COVID-19. This was a multicentre, observational study, with data collected from adult patients with COVID-19 admitted to eight UK hospitals. Of 1222 patients eligible to be included, 54 (4.4%) were routinely prescribed NSAIDs prior to admission. Univariate results suggested a modest protective effect from the use of NSAIDs, but in the multivariable analysis, there was no association between prior NSAID use and time to mortality (adjusted HR (aHR) = 0.89, 95% CI 0.52–1.53, p = 0.67) or length of stay (aHR 0.89, 95% CI 0.59–1.35, p = 0.58). This study found no evidence that routine NSAID use was associated with higher COVID-19 mortality in hospitalised patients; therefore, patients should be advised to continue taking these medications until further evidence emerges. Our findings suggest that NSAID use might confer a modest benefit with regard to survival. However, as this finding was underpowered, further research is required.


Author(s):  
A. Sina Booeshaghi ◽  
Lior Pachter

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been identified as a critical receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This has led to extensive speculation on the role of ACE2 in disease severity, and in particular, whether variation in its expression can explain higher mortality in older individuals. We examine this question in mouse lung and show that 24-month old mice have significantly reduced ACE2 mRNA expression relative to 3-month old mice. The differences appear to be localized to ciliated cells.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mythily Srinivasan ◽  
Susan L Zunt ◽  
Lawrence I Goldblatt

AbstractThe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-2 as the host receptor for target cell entry. The extent and distribution of ACE-2 has been associated with the clinical symptoms of coronavirus disease (COVID)-19. Here we show by immunofluorescence analysis that the ACE2 is abundantly expressed in oral mucosa, particularly in the surface epithelial cells suggesting that these cells could represent sites of entry for SARS-CoV-2. Further, together with the reports on ACE2 ectodomain shedding, we discuss the rationale for the hypothesis that the ACE-2 measurement in saliva could be a marker for COVID-19 infection during early phase following SARS-CoV-2 exposure.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Nie ◽  
Yutong Wang ◽  
Geting Wu ◽  
Xiaoyun He ◽  
Zhiming Liao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a crucial cell entry receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has been identified as an oncogene in some tumour types. However, its role in colon cancer is poorly understood.Methods: Integrative bioinformatics analyses were performed to uncover the role of ACE2 in colon cancer-associated immunology. Results: The results showed that ACE2 was overexpressed in colon cancer tissues and correlated with poor survival. Moreover, ACE2 expression was closely associated with the immune-infiltrating levels of CD4+ T, CD8+ T, and neutrophils. Conclusions: ACE2 is closely associated with colon cancer and may be involved in tumourigenesis and cancer–immune interactions, and could be a promising prognostic and therapeutic biomarker in colon cancer.


2020 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 232-235
Author(s):  
Jinho Shin

A role of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has been suggested, because it is the molecular receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). ACE2 is known to provide a protective effect for cardiac and vascular tissues, because it generally counteracts angiotensin II (Ang II) activity. ACE2 downregulation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers may enhance ACE2 mRNA expression and enzyme activity. However, this has not been demonstrated in lung tissue. In the lungs, Ang II induces vasoconstriction to prevent ventilation perfusion mismatch, while also increasing vascular permeability (which can precipitate pulmonary edema). ACE2 is expressed in 0.67% of human lung cells, 80% of which are type 2 alveolar cells. Men (of all ethnicities) and Asian individuals have been shown to express higher levels of ACE2 than women and non-Asian individuals, respectively. However, there are no data from human studies indicating that high ACE2 expression increases the likelihood of SARS-CoV2 infection. In animal studies, an increase in Ang II caused by SARS-CoV2 or spike protein interactions, in turn due to ACE2 downregulation, has been identified as the key mechanism underlying lung injury. In human studies of SARS-CoV2 infection, ACE2 overexpression was shown to cause inflammatory apoptosis and a cytokine storm. The actions of ACE2 and Ang II in SARS-CoV2-infected vascular and lung tissues differ between animals and humans. ACE2 expression levels pre- and post-SARS-CoV2 infection should be differentiated.


Coronaviruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 02 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikas Pandey ◽  
Indu Lata Kanwar ◽  
Tanweer Haider ◽  
Vishal Gour ◽  
Monika Vishwakarma ◽  
...  

: The novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a pandemic, as declared by WHO in March 2020 producing the deleterious effects to patients worldwide. The angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) has been recognized as the co-receptor for SARS-CoV-2 infections and may acts as a therapeutic step in blocking the enzyme to reduce SARS-CoV-2 expression and further cellular entry. Presently, the role of ACE-2 in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has been known and the experts have started working on the enzyme ACE-2 for the management and treatment of this pandemic disease. The binding of spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 to these receptors is the most important step and plays a key role in viral replication, thus this enzyme is becoming the doorway for the entry and spread in the human body causing asymptomatic pneumonia and severe of which is leading to death. As no specific method to prevent and treat this disease is available, the use of ACE-2 as a targeting ligand with COVID-19 virus spike protein could be helpful in the proper management of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (01) ◽  
pp. e137-e140
Author(s):  
Mosaad Abdel-Aziz ◽  
Nada M. Abdel-Aziz ◽  
Dina M. Abdel-Aziz ◽  
Noha Azab

AbstractThe clinical manifestations of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vary from mild flu-like symptoms to severe fatal pneumonia. However, children with COVID-19 may be asymptomatic or may have mild clinical symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical features of pediatric COVID-19 and to search for the factors that may mitigate the disease course. We reviewed the literature to realize the clinical features, laboratory, and radiographic data that may be diagnostic for COVID-19 among children. Also, we studied the factors that may affect the clinical course of the disease. Fever, dry cough, and fatigue are the main symptoms of pediatric COVID-19, sometimes flu-like symptoms and/or gastrointestinal symptoms may be present. Although some infected children may be asymptomatic, a recent unusual hyperinflammatory reaction with overlapping features of Kawasaki's disease and toxic shock syndrome in pediatric COVID-19 has been occasionally reported. Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronvirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid testing is the corner-stone method for the diagnosis of COVID-19. Lymphocyte count and other inflammatory markers are not essentially diagnostic; however, chest computed tomography is highly specific. Factors that may mitigate the severity of pediatric COVID-19 are home confinement with limited children activity, trained immunity caused by compulsory vaccination, the response of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors in children is not the same as in adults, and that children are less likely to have comorbidities. As infected children may be asymptomatic or may have only mild respiratory and/or gastrointestinal symptoms that might be missed, all children for families who have a member diagnosed with COVID-19 should be investigated.


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