Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers: potential allies in the COVID-19 pandemic instead of a threat?. Issue 8 (30th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Simko, Fedor; Baka, Tomas
• Is Part Of: Clinical science. Volume 135:Issue 8(2021)
• Page Start: 1009
• Page End: 1014
• Publication Date: 2021-04-30
• Subjects: ACE2 -- ADAM17 -- angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker -- angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor -- COVID-19; Medicine -- Periodicals; Biochemistry -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1042/CS20210182
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-5221

Abstract

Abstract: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the leading player of the protective renin–angiotensin system (RAS) pathway but also the entry receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). RAS inhibitors seemed to interfere with the ACE2 receptor, and their safety was addressed in COVID-19 patients. Pedrosa et al. ( Clin. Sci. ( Lond. ) (2021), 135, 465–481) showed in rats that captopril and candesartan up-regulated ACE2 expression and the protective RAS pathway in lung tissue. In culture of pneumocytes, the captopril/candesartan-induced ACE2 up-regulation was associated with inhibition of ADAM17 activity, counterbalancing increased ACE2 expression, which was associated with reduced SARS-CoV-2 spike protein entry. If confirmed in humans, these results could become the pathophysiological background for justifying RAS inhibitors as cornerstone cardiovascular protectives even during COVID-19 pandemic.