Organ‐protective effect of angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 and its effect on the prognosis of COVID‐19

This article reviews the correlation between angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and severe risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the possible mechanisms. ACE2 is a crucial component of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). The classical RAS ACE-Ang II-AT1R regulatory axis and the ACE2-Ang 1-7-MasR counter-regulatory axis play an essential role in maintaining homeostasis in humans. ACE2 is widely distributed in the heart, kidneys, lungs, and testes. ACE2 antagonizes the activation of the classical RAS system and protects against organ damage, protecting against hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Similar to SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 also uses the ACE2 receptor to invade human…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 81870417, 2018ZX10302206
• NS
  National Science and Technology Major Project

  Awards: 2017ZX10203202, 2018ZX10302206