June 16, 2020

Airways Expression of SARS-CoV-2 Receptor, ACE2, and TMPRSS2 Is Lower in Children Than Adults and Increases with Smoking and COPD

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Clinical Characteristics and Health Care Setting

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) are the two main cell entry proteins for SARS-CoV-2. Saheb Sharif-Askari et al. found that children have lower expression of the ACE2 and TMPRSS2 receptors in the lung airway. They also found that lung airway expression of both ACE2 and TMPRSS2 was higher in smokers compared with non-smokers, and in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared with healthy subjects. 

Saheb Sharif-Askari et al. (May 19, 2020). Airways Expression of SARS-CoV-2 Receptor, ACE2, and TMPRSS2 Is Lower in Children Than Adults and Increases with Smoking and COPD. Molecular Therapy. Methods & Clinical Development. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omtm.2020.05.013