Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2: A Doorway for SARS-CoV-2

ABSTRACT

The novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV--2) has become a pandemic, as declared by WHO in March 2020 producing deleterious effects on patients worldwide. The angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) has been recognized as the co-receptor for SARS-CoV-2 infections and may act as a therapeutic step in blocking the enzyme to re-duce SARS-CoV-2 expression and further cellular entry. Presently, the role of ACE-2 in coron-avirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has been known and the experts have started working on the enzyme ACE-2 for the management and treatment of this pandemic disease. The binding of spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 to these receptors is the most important step and plays a key role in viral replication, thus this enzyme is becoming the doorway for the entry and spread in the human body causing asymptomatic pneumonia and severe of which is leading to death. As no specific method to prevent and treat this disease is available, the use of ACE-2 as a targeting ligand with COVID-19 virus spike protein could be helpful in the proper management of SARS-CoV-2 pneu-monia.Copyright © 2021 Bentham Science Publishers.