Variants of the ACE۲ Gene: The SARV-CoV۲ Receptor in Different Human Populations

In December ۲۰۱۹, a respiratory disease called Coronavirus Disease ۲۰۱۹ (COVID-۱۹) emerged in Wuhan, China. In thefollowing year, it was considered as a pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-۲, an RNA virus belonging to the Coronaviridae family.Asymptomatic patients are the main spreaders of the infection as well as obstacles to control the disease that can progress to death. Currently, it is believed that the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme ۲ (ACE۲) acts as a receptor for the penetration of SARSCoV-۲ into the human cell. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the variability of the genetic variants of ACE۲ with the usceptibility to SARS-CoV-۲/COVID-۱۹ in different human populations. In two studies, ACE۲ expression in Asians was found to be similar to that of other ethnicities. We observed populations with different variants of ACE۲ with single nucleotide polymorphism (dbSNP) that causes inter-individual variability and susceptibility to COVID-۱۹. The dbSNP rs۴۶۴۶۱۱۶ was found in the Finnish and Latin populations; rs۴۶۴۶۱۲۷ in Asia, Europe, and the Americas; and rs۲۲۸۵۶۶ (c.۴۳۹+۴G>A) was found in South-East Asia (MAF = ۰,۵۴۸%). In Italy, three missense variants of ACE۲ (p.(Asn۷۲۰Asp), p.(Lys۲۶Arg) and p. (Gly۲۱۱Arg)) interfere with the stabilization of the coronavirus spike protein. Given the studies concerning the genetic variations of ACE۲ and SARVS-CoV-۲, it is possible to assume the consequences for the pathophysiology of COVID-۱۹, formulate therapies, and develop specific vaccines according to the recognized variants, to reduce the severity and the lethality of the disease in the affected countries.

Keywords:

genetic variants , ACE۲ , SARS-CoV-۲ , Coronavirus , Human Populations