Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in peripheral lung club cells modulates the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol
; 322(5): L712-L721, 2022 05 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1759484
ABSTRACT
Accumulating evidence has confirmed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a risk factor for development of severe pathological changes in the peripheral lungs of patients with COVID-19. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Because bronchiolar club cells are crucial for maintaining small airway homeostasis, we sought to explore whether the altered susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection of the club cells might have contributed to the severe COVID-19 pneumonia in COPD patients. Our investigation on the quantity and distribution patterns of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in airway epithelium via immunofluorescence staining revealed that the mean fluorescence intensity of the ACE2-positive epithelial cells was significantly higher in club cells than those in other epithelial cells (including ciliated cells, basal cells, goblet cells, neuroendocrine cells, and alveolar type 2 cells). Compared with nonsmokers, the median percentage of club cells in bronchiolar epithelium and ACE2-positive club cells was significantly higher in COPD patients. In vitro, SARS-CoV-2 infection (at a multiplicity of infection of 1.0) of primary small airway epithelial cells, cultured on air-liquid interface, confirmed a higher percentage of infected ACE2-positive club cells in COPD patients than in nonsmokers. Our findings have indicated the role of club cells in modulating the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2-related severe pneumonia and the poor clinical outcomes, which may help physicians to formulate a novel therapeutic strategy for COVID-19 patients with coexisting COPD.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol
Journal subject:
Molecular Biology
/
Physiology
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ajplung.00305.2021
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