A Plausible Link of TMPRSS2/ACE2/AR Signaling to Male Mortality during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States
The COVID-19 pandemic continues around the world, where the United States is among the worst in terms of both morbidity and fatality of the viral infection. We aim to investigate the plausible link of tissue SARS-CoV-2 viral entry gene expression, such as TMPRSS2 and ACE2, with infection and death b...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-10-01
|
| Series: | Pathogens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/11/1378 |
| _version_ | 1797508902737149952 |
|---|---|
| author | Lilly M. Wong Guochun Jiang |
| author_facet | Lilly M. Wong Guochun Jiang |
| author_sort | Lilly M. Wong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic continues around the world, where the United States is among the worst in terms of both morbidity and fatality of the viral infection. We aim to investigate the plausible link of tissue SARS-CoV-2 viral entry gene expression, such as TMPRSS2 and ACE2, with infection and death by gender during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. We find a significantly higher incidence of COVID-19 death in men than in women, even though SARS-CoV-2 infection in women is higher than in men. We discover that the expression of TMPRSS2 and ACE2 in intestine, but not in lung, tends to be positively associated with the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in men. In contrast, the high incidence of death in men is negatively correlated with TMPRSS2/ACE2 expression in intestine. Strikingly, the correlation of TMPRSS2/ACE2 expression with SARS-CoV-2 infection and death is the opposite in females, compared with that in males. Interestingly, male hormone signaling seems to be involved in mortality, as the low expression of testosterone receptor AR in the prostate contributes to death in men according to age. These observations point to a plausible contribution of male hormone metabolism in the regulation of TMPRSS2/ACE2 signaling to fatality by SARS-CoV-2 infection in men. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:11:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-efa6cc0e0dba4bbd8339b5cae50d0d96 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:11:25Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-efa6cc0e0dba4bbd8339b5cae50d0d962023-11-23T00:52:24ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172021-10-011011137810.3390/pathogens10111378A Plausible Link of TMPRSS2/ACE2/AR Signaling to Male Mortality during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United StatesLilly M. Wong0Guochun Jiang1UNC HIV Cure Center, Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 130 Mason Farm Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7030, USAUNC HIV Cure Center, Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 130 Mason Farm Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7030, USAThe COVID-19 pandemic continues around the world, where the United States is among the worst in terms of both morbidity and fatality of the viral infection. We aim to investigate the plausible link of tissue SARS-CoV-2 viral entry gene expression, such as TMPRSS2 and ACE2, with infection and death by gender during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. We find a significantly higher incidence of COVID-19 death in men than in women, even though SARS-CoV-2 infection in women is higher than in men. We discover that the expression of TMPRSS2 and ACE2 in intestine, but not in lung, tends to be positively associated with the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in men. In contrast, the high incidence of death in men is negatively correlated with TMPRSS2/ACE2 expression in intestine. Strikingly, the correlation of TMPRSS2/ACE2 expression with SARS-CoV-2 infection and death is the opposite in females, compared with that in males. Interestingly, male hormone signaling seems to be involved in mortality, as the low expression of testosterone receptor AR in the prostate contributes to death in men according to age. These observations point to a plausible contribution of male hormone metabolism in the regulation of TMPRSS2/ACE2 signaling to fatality by SARS-CoV-2 infection in men.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/11/1378COVID-19SARS-Cov-2TMPRSS2ACE2testosteroneandrogen receptor |
| spellingShingle | Lilly M. Wong Guochun Jiang A Plausible Link of TMPRSS2/ACE2/AR Signaling to Male Mortality during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States Pathogens COVID-19 SARS-Cov-2 TMPRSS2 ACE2 testosterone androgen receptor |
| title | A Plausible Link of TMPRSS2/ACE2/AR Signaling to Male Mortality during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States |
| title_full | A Plausible Link of TMPRSS2/ACE2/AR Signaling to Male Mortality during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States |
| title_fullStr | A Plausible Link of TMPRSS2/ACE2/AR Signaling to Male Mortality during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Plausible Link of TMPRSS2/ACE2/AR Signaling to Male Mortality during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States |
| title_short | A Plausible Link of TMPRSS2/ACE2/AR Signaling to Male Mortality during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States |
| title_sort | plausible link of tmprss2 ace2 ar signaling to male mortality during the covid 19 pandemic in the united states |
| topic | COVID-19 SARS-Cov-2 TMPRSS2 ACE2 testosterone androgen receptor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/11/1378 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lillymwong aplausiblelinkoftmprss2ace2arsignalingtomalemortalityduringthecovid19pandemicintheunitedstates AT guochunjiang aplausiblelinkoftmprss2ace2arsignalingtomalemortalityduringthecovid19pandemicintheunitedstates AT lillymwong plausiblelinkoftmprss2ace2arsignalingtomalemortalityduringthecovid19pandemicintheunitedstates AT guochunjiang plausiblelinkoftmprss2ace2arsignalingtomalemortalityduringthecovid19pandemicintheunitedstates |