COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is an abbreviated name for coronavirus disease 2019. COVID-19 became a global pandemic in early 2020. It predominantly affects not only the upper and lower respiratory tract, but also multiple organs, including the kidney, heart, and brain. The mortality of COVID-19 patients is high in men and in elderly patients with age-related diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. The angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2), a component in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), plays as cell surface receptors for SARS-CoV-2. A recent study proved that coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 also uses dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4, also known as adenosine deaminase complexing protein 2, CD26) as a co-receptor when entering cells. In addition, DPP4 is also implicated in the regulation of the immune response. Thus, the combination of DPP4 inhibition and suppression of ACE-2/RAAS may be a novel therapeutic strategy for combating this pandemic.
Keywords: Angiotensin converting enzyme-2; Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2; Dipeptidyl peptidase-4; Renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system.
Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.