Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

July 29, 2020

ACE2 Expression Is Elevated in Airway Epithelial Cells from Aged and Male Donors but Reduced in Asthma

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  • [pre-print, not peer-reviewed] Wark et al. examined risk factors associated with ACE2 expression in 145 patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Australia. They found that older age and male sex were associated with increased ACE2 expression, and asthma was associated with reduced expression. The authors concluded that altered ACE2 expression in the lower airway may be an important factor in SARS-CoV-2 virus tropism and may, in part, explain why patients with asthma do not appear to be overrepresented in those with COVID-19 complications. 

Wark et al. (July 29, 2020). ACE2 Expression Is Elevated in Airway Epithelial Cells from Aged and Male Donors but Reduced in Asthma. Pre-print downloaded July 29 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.26.20162248