Leeds Institute for Medical Research at St. James's, St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2023 May 1;324(5):G415-G418. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.00021.2023. Epub 2023 Mar 28.
Diarrhea, often severe, is a recognized and frequently early symptom during acute COVID-19 infection and may persist or develop for the first time in patients with long-COVID, with socioeconomic consequences. Diarrheal mechanisms in these cases are poorly understood. There is evidence for disruption of intestinal epithelial barrier function and also for changes in the gut microbiome, which is critical for gut immunity and metabolism. Whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus has adverse effects on intestinal transport proteins is unclear. However, the ability of the virus to inhibit expression and activity of an aldosterone-regulated epithelial sodium (Na) channel (ENaC) present in human distal colon, which is responsible for Na and water salvage, points to possible disruption of other intestinal transport proteins during COVID-19 infection. In this Perspective, we develop this idea by highlighting possible intestinal transport protein targets for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and discussing how their interactions might be explored in the laboratory.
腹泻，常为严重，是急性 COVID-19 感染时公认的、常出现的早期症状，且可能在长新冠患者中持续存在或首次出现，并带来社会经济后果。在这些病例中，腹泻的发病机制尚不清楚。有证据表明肠道上皮屏障功能紊乱，以及肠道微生物组发生变化，而肠道微生物组对于肠道免疫和代谢至关重要。SARS-CoV-2 病毒是否对肠道转运蛋白有不良影响尚不清楚。然而，该病毒抑制人远端结肠中存在的醛固酮调节的上皮钠（Na）通道（ENaC）的表达和活性的能力，而 ENaC 负责 Na 和水的重吸收，这表明 COVID-19 感染期间可能会破坏其他肠道转运蛋白。在本观点中，我们通过强调 SARS-CoV-2 病毒可能的肠道转运蛋白靶点，并讨论如何在实验室中探索它们的相互作用，进一步阐述了这一观点。
