Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (SARS-CoV-2 receptor) expression in human skeletal muscle.
Scand J Med Sci Sports
; 31(12): 2249-2258, 2021 Dec.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1434834
ABSTRACT
The study aimed to determine the levels of skeletal muscle angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2, the SARS-CoV-2 receptor) protein expression in men and women and assess whether ACE2 expression in skeletal muscle is associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity. The level of ACE2 in vastus lateralis muscle biopsies collected in previous studies from 170 men (age 19-65 years, weight 56-137 kg, BMI 23-44) and 69 women (age 18-55 years, weight 41-126 kg, BMI 22-39) was analyzed in duplicate by western blot. VO2 max was determined by ergospirometry and body composition by DXA. ACE2 protein expression was 1.8-fold higher in women than men (p = 0.001, n = 239). This sex difference disappeared after accounting for the percentage of body fat (fat %), VO2 max per kg of legs lean mass (VO2 max-LLM) and age (p = 0.47). Multiple regression analysis showed that the fat % (ß = 0.47) is the main predictor of the variability in ACE2 protein expression in skeletal muscle, explaining 5.2% of the variance. VO2 max-LLM had also predictive value (ß = 0.09). There was a significant fat % by VO2 max-LLM interaction, such that for subjects with low fat %, VO2 max-LLM was positively associated with ACE2 expression while as fat % increased the slope of the positive association between VO2 max-LLM and ACE2 was reduced. In conclusion, women express higher amounts of ACE2 in their skeletal muscles than men. This sexual dimorphism is mainly explained by sex differences in fat % and cardiorespiratory fitness. The percentage of body fat is the main predictor of the variability in ACE2 protein expression in human skeletal muscle.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Exercise
/
Muscle, Skeletal
/
Adiposity
/
Cardiorespiratory Fitness
/
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
/
Young adult
Language:
English
Journal:
Scand J Med Sci Sports
Journal subject:
Sports Medicine
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Sms.14061
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS