Vaccines and antibodies are currently effective intervention strategies for preventing and treating COVID-19. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a primary binding receptor for SARS-CoV-2, is a potential target for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. At present, therapeutics based on the strategies that block the binding of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein to the ACE2 receptor have entered clinical trials. On December 5, 2022, the journal Nature published the results of a pharmacological intervention to downregulate ACE2 expression for prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The study found that a nuclear receptor, farnesoid X receptor for bile acids, regulated ACE2 expression. The clinical drug ursodeoxycholic acid that was used to treat liver diseases could downregulate ACE2 expression and prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections, showing a new potential pathway in managing COVID-19.
Citation: CHEN Zhuo, YANG Hao. Advances in targeted blocking of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor for prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection. CHINESE JOURNAL OF BASES AND CLINICS IN GENERAL SURGERY, 2023, 30(1): 36-38. doi: 10.7507/1007-9424.202212032 Copy