Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in peripheral lung club cells modulates the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol
; 322(5): L712-L721, 2022 05 01.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35318858
ABSTRACT
Accumulating evidence has confirmed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a risk factor for development of severe pathological changes in the peripheral lungs of patients with COVID-19. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Because bronchiolar club cells are crucial for maintaining small airway homeostasis, we sought to explore whether the altered susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection of the club cells might have contributed to the severe COVID-19 pneumonia in COPD patients. Our investigation on the quantity and distribution patterns of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in airway epithelium via immunofluorescence staining revealed that the mean fluorescence intensity of the ACE2-positive epithelial cells was significantly higher in club cells than those in other epithelial cells (including ciliated cells, basal cells, goblet cells, neuroendocrine cells, and alveolar type 2 cells). Compared with nonsmokers, the median percentage of club cells in bronchiolar epithelium and ACE2-positive club cells was significantly higher in COPD patients. In vitro, SARS-CoV-2 infection (at a multiplicity of infection of 1.0) of primary small airway epithelial cells, cultured on air-liquid interface, confirmed a higher percentage of infected ACE2-positive club cells in COPD patients than in nonsmokers. Our findings have indicated the role of club cells in modulating the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2-related severe pneumonia and the poor clinical outcomes, which may help physicians to formulate a novel therapeutic strategy for COVID-19 patients with coexisting COPD.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica
/
COVID-19
Tipo de estudo:
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol
Assunto da revista:
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
/
FISIOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
China