tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
World J Gastroenterol
. 2025 Feb 14;31(6):100864.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i6.100864. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and hepatic SARS-CoV-2 infection: Regulation, association, and therapeutic implications
Yu-Wei Luo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ai-Long Huang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Kai-Fu Tang[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) enters host cells via the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Mounting evidence has indicated the presence of hepatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and liver injury in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Understanding the mechanisms of hepatic SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial for addressing COVID-19-related liver pathology and developing targeted therapies. This editorial discusses the significance of ACE2 in hepatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, drawing on the research by Jacobs et al. Their findings indicate that hepatic ACE2 expression, frequency of hepatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, and severity of liver injury are elevated in patients with pre-existing chronic liver diseases. These data suggest that hepatic ACE2 could be a promising therapeutic target for COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19 treatment; Chronic liver diseases; Hepatic angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; Liver infection; SARS-CoV-2.
. 2025 Feb 14;31(6):100864.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i6.100864. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and hepatic SARS-CoV-2 infection: Regulation, association, and therapeutic implications
Yu-Wei Luo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ai-Long Huang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Kai-Fu Tang[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 39958440
- PMCID: PMC11752700
- DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i6.100864
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) enters host cells via the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Mounting evidence has indicated the presence of hepatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and liver injury in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Understanding the mechanisms of hepatic SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial for addressing COVID-19-related liver pathology and developing targeted therapies. This editorial discusses the significance of ACE2 in hepatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, drawing on the research by Jacobs et al. Their findings indicate that hepatic ACE2 expression, frequency of hepatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, and severity of liver injury are elevated in patients with pre-existing chronic liver diseases. These data suggest that hepatic ACE2 could be a promising therapeutic target for COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19 treatment; Chronic liver diseases; Hepatic angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; Liver infection; SARS-CoV-2.