Age and sex differences in soluble ACE2 may give insights for COVID-19
Critical Care, 2020
Swärd P., Edsfeldt A., Reepalu A., Jehpsson L., Rosengren B., Karlsson M.
| Disease area | Application area | Sample type | Products |
|---|---|---|---|
Infectious Diseases | Pathophysiology | Serum |  Olink Target 96 |
Abstract
mACE2 (membrane-bound angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) is central when developing severe COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), because SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2) attaches to the active surface domain of mACE2 when entering the host cell. ADAM-17 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase-17), during physiological conditions and in SARS-CoV infection, can cleave mACE2, resulting in shedding and soluble ACE2 (sACE2), a process also associated with ALI (acute lung injury). High mACE2 and/or high ADAM-17 activity may therefore facilitate SARS CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19, and sACE2 may capture this risk, reflecting (i) high mACE2, (ii) high ADAM-17 activity, or (iii) both.
Severe COVID-19 is more common in adults than in children and in men than women. This may be related to differences in mACE2 expression and/or age-related alterations in the RAS (renin-angiotensin system), associated with increased angiotensin II/ADAM-17 activity and increased mACE2 shedding. The aim of this study was to evaluate sACE2 levels during growth and compare results by sex and age.