Huang Ya-Hui, Yeh Chau-Ting, Hsu Chao-Wei, Lin Yang-Hsiang
Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Curr Mol Med. 2023;23(5):420-424. doi: 10.2174/1566524022666220510220533.
Coronavirus disease 2019, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has wreaked havoc worldwide since December 2019. Currently, no effective medical treatments have been approved. As the epidemic continues to spread, SARS-CoV-2 mutants emerge, some of which become more infectious with increasing vaccine resistance. The main route for SARS-CoV-2 to enter the host cells is by binding its spike protein to the host receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Besides the membrane-bound form of ACE2, the soluble form of ACE2 (sACE2) can also bind SARS-CoV-2 for viral endocytosis.
Previously, we found that telbivudine reduced the concentrations of ACE1 in blood. Therefore, we speculated that this drug might also reduce the concentrations of sACE2.
In this retrospective study, serum samples from 39 hepatitis B patients receiving telbivudine were collected and examined for sACE2 concentrations using an ELISA kit..
It was found that the serum concentrations of sACE2 were significantly declined in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with telbivudine.
Telbivudine treatment reduced sACE2 concentrations, which could potentially reduce the infection risk of SARS-CoV-2.
2019年12月以来，由严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）引起的2019冠状病毒病在全球肆虐。目前，尚无有效的医学治疗方法获得批准。随着疫情持续蔓延，SARS-CoV-2突变体出现，其中一些突变体的传染性增强且对疫苗的抗性增加。SARS-CoV-2进入宿主细胞的主要途径是通过其刺突蛋白与宿主受体血管紧张素转换酶2（ACE2）结合。除了膜结合形式的ACE2外，可溶性形式的ACE2（sACE2）也能结合SARS-CoV-2以促进病毒内吞作用。
此前，我们发现替比夫定可降低血液中ACE1的浓度。因此，我们推测该药物可能也会降低sACE2的浓度。
在这项回顾性研究中，收集了39例接受替比夫定治疗的乙型肝炎患者的血清样本，并使用酶联免疫吸附测定试剂盒检测sACE2浓度。
发现接受替比夫定治疗的慢性乙型肝炎患者血清中sACE2浓度显著下降。
替比夫定治疗可降低sACE2浓度，这可能会降低SARS-CoV-2的感染风险。
