The contrasting role of nasopharyngeal angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) transcription in SARS-CoV-2 infection: A cross-sectional study of people tested for COVID-19 in British Columbia, Canada.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein serves as the host receptor for SARS-CoV-2, with a critical role in viral infection. We aim to understand population level variation of nasopharyngeal ACE2 transcription in people tested for COVID-19 and the relationship between ACE2 transcription and SARS-CoV-2 viral load, while adjusting for expression of: (i) the complementary protease, Transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), (ii) soluble ACE2, (iii) age, and (iv) biological sex. The ACE2 gene was targeted to measure expression of transmembrane and soluble transcripts.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of n = 424 "participants" aged 1-104 years referred for COVID-19 testing was performed in British Columbia, Canada. Patients who tested positive for COVID-19 were m

SUBMITTER: Nikiforuk AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8016616 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature