ANDROGENS IN CORONAVIR SARS-COV-2 INFECTION

ABSTRACT

Recent finding from molecular biologyl have shown that for the penetration of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus into host cells, a key role is played by protease serine 2, the activity of which is dependent on androgens. The important role of androgens is also evidenced by clinical observations that men in some age categories are infected by this novel coronavirus up to two times more frequently than women. In addition, men with androgenic alopecia tend to have a more serious clinical course, while men with androgen deprivation as a result of prostate cancer treatments tend to have milder courses. This is in line with the fact that preadolescent children are only rarely sickened with a serious form of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Even though these observations may be explained by other factors, many authors have hypothesized that lowered androgen levels and blocking their activity using anti-androgen medication may moderate the course of the viral infection in intermediately to critically affected cases. Clearly, it would be important for androgen deprivation to block not just gonadal androgens, but also adrenal androgens. The secretion of adrenal androgens can be reduced with corticoids, so recommended treatments using dexamethasone to patients with more serious COVID-19 disease do not just inhibit the cytokine storm, but also hinder the secretion of adrenal androgens.