US, WASHINGTON (ORDO NEWS) — Scientists from the University of Groningen (Netherlands) explained why men more often than women carry COVID -19 in severe form. The thing is the higher content of membrane protein called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2, eng. ACE2 ).
According to a study published in the European Heart Journal , in the blood of men, the level of ACE2 protein is higher than in women. It is with ACE2 that the SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses bind to enter the cell.
This may help explain why men are more vulnerable to COVID-19 than women. Earlier, scientists from China confirmed that mortality from COVID-19 is twice as high among men.
“ACE2 is a receptor on the surface of cells. It binds to coronavirus and allows it to enter healthy cells and infect them after it has been modified by another protein on the surface of the cell called TMPRSS2. APF2 high levels are present in the lungs, and is therefore considered that they play a crucial role in the progression of pulmonary disorders related to COVID-19,” said professor of cardiology at the University of Groningen Voors Adrian.
The findings of the scientists are based on the study of the level of ACE2 in the blood of more than 2 thousand patients from 11 European countries. The study also showed that ACE2 levels were lower in patients taking a number of heart failure medications.
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