ACE2 polymorphisms as potential players in COVID-19 outcome

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 28;15(12):e0243887. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243887. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

The clinical condition COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, was declared a pandemic by the WHO in March 2020. Currently, there are more than 5 million cases worldwide, and the pandemic has increased exponentially in many countries, with different incidences and death rates among regions/ethnicities and, intriguingly, between sexes. In addition to the many factors that can influence these discrepancies, we suggest a biological aspect, the genetic variation at the viral S protein receptor in human cells, ACE2 (angiotensin I-converting enzyme 2), which may contribute to the worse clinical outcome in males and in some regions worldwide. We performed exomics analysis in native and admixed South American populations, and we also conducted in silico genomics databank investigations in populations from other continents. Interestingly, at least ten polymorphisms in coding, noncoding and regulatory sites were found that can shed light on this issue and offer a plausible biological explanation for these epidemiological differences. In conclusion, there are ACE2 polymorphisms that could influence epidemiological discrepancies observed among ancestry and, moreover, between sexes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 / genetics*
  • COVID-19 / genetics*
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Exome / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Open Reading Frames / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics*
  • RNA, Untranslated / genetics
  • Regulatory Sequences, Ribonucleic Acid / genetics
  • South America

Substances

  • RNA, Untranslated
  • Regulatory Sequences, Ribonucleic Acid
  • ACE2 protein, human
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2

Grants and funding

S.E.B.S. received from The Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, www.cnpq.br) financial support (number 431488/2016-9) to perform exome sequencing assays. J.A.B.G. received a Doctoral fellowship from Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES, www.gov.br/capes). A.S.K., P.P.A, R.M.R.R., A.K.R.S., S.E.B.S. received Researcher Fellowship (PQ), and L.C.I. received Master fellowship from CNPq. the Federal University of Pará (UFPA, www.ufpa.br) financial support part of this work. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.