biostudies-literatureDuarte TFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do SulCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior166551https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9474972biostudies-literatureUnknown1868(12)The Spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019, binds to its ACE2 receptor for internalization in the host cells. Elderly individuals or those with subjacent disorders, such as obesity and diabetes, are more susceptible to COVID-19 severity. Additionally, several SARS-CoV-2 variants appear to enhance the Spike-ACE2 interaction, which increases transmissibility and death. Considering that the fruit fly is a robust animal model in metabolic research and has two ACE2 orthologs, Ance and Acer, in this work, we studied the effects of two hypercaloric diets (HFD and HSD) and aging on ACE2 orthologs mRNA expression levels in Drosophila melanogaster. To complement our work, we analyzed the predicted binding affinity between the Spike protein with Ance and Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular basis of diseaseThe Drosophila melanogaster ACE2 ortholog genes are differently expressed in obesity/diabetes and aging models: Implications for COVID-19 pathology.PMC947497288887.512821/2020-0019/2551-0001906-888887.512883/2020-00Rocha JBTDDalla Corte CLMichelotti PFeltes BCSilva MMDuarte TBarbosa NBVDorn MfalseThe Drosophila melanogaster ACE2 ortholog genes are differently expressed in obesity/diabetes and aging models: Implications for COVID-19 pathology.The Spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019, binds to its ACE2 receptor for internalization in the host cells. Elderly individuals or those with subjacent disorders, such as obesity and diabetes, are more susceptible to COVID-19 severity. Additionally, several SARS-CoV-2 variants appear to enhance the Spike-ACE2 interaction, which increases transmissibility and death. Considering that the fruit fly is a robust animal model in metabolic research and has two ACE2 orthologs, Ance and Acer, in this work, we studied the effects of two hypercaloric diets (HFD and HSD) and aging on ACE2 orthologs mRNA expression levels in Drosophila melanogaster. To complement our work, we analyzed the predicted binding affinity between the Spike protein with Ance and 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Dec2026-05-28T07:00:10.233Z2024-11-06T18:43:00.756ZS-EPMC94749723611672610.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166551