Gao Shan, Zhang Leiliang
Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Ji'nan 250014, Shandong, China.
Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan 250062, Shandong, China.
Comput Struct Biotechnol J. 2020;18:4040-4047. doi: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.11.032. Epub 2020 Nov 29.
COVID-19, which is caused by SARS-CoV-2, has been declared a global pandemic. Although effective strategies have been applied to treat the disease, much is still unknown about this novel virus. SARS-CoV-2 enters host cells through ACE2, which is a component of the angiotensin-regulating system. Binding of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein to ACE2 is a prerequisite for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Many studies have indicated a close relationship between ACE2 expression and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The structural basis of receptor recognition by SARS-CoV-2 has been analyzed in detail. The diversification of the ACE2 sequence due to ACE2 polymorphisms and alternative splicing has to a large extent affected the susceptibility of different species. Differential ACE2 expression makes specific populations more prone to be infected, and ACE2 also plays a role in the broad tropism of SARS-CoV-2 in human organs and tissues. In this review, we comprehensively summarize how the ACE2 expression profile affects the host range and tropism of SARS-CoV-2, which will provide mechanistic insights into the susceptibilities and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
由严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）引起的2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）已被宣布为全球大流行。尽管已经应用了有效的策略来治疗这种疾病，但对于这种新型病毒仍有许多未知之处。SARS-CoV-2通过血管紧张素调节系统的一个组成部分血管紧张素转换酶2（ACE2）进入宿主细胞。SARS-CoV-2刺突蛋白（S蛋白）与ACE2的结合是SARS-CoV-2感染的先决条件。许多研究表明ACE2表达与SARS-CoV-2感染之间存在密切关系。已对SARS-CoV-2识别受体的结构基础进行了详细分析。由于ACE2基因多态性和可变剪接导致的ACE2序列多样化在很大程度上影响了不同物种的易感性。ACE2表达差异使特定人群更容易受到感染，并且ACE2在SARS-CoV-2在人体器官和组织中的广泛嗜性中也起作用。在这篇综述中，我们全面总结了ACE2表达谱如何影响SARS-CoV-2的宿主范围和嗜性，这将为SARS-CoV-2感染的易感性和结果提供机制性见解。
