Biological plausibility for interactions between dietary fat, resveratrol, ACE2 , and SARS-CoV illness severity

• Published in: American journal of physiology: endocrinology and metabolism Vol. 318; no. 5; pp. E830 - E833
• Main Authors: Horne, Justine R., Vohl, Marie-Claude
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Physiological Society 01.05.2020
• Subjects: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; Animals; Betacoronavirus - metabolism; Coronavirus Infections - physiopathology; COVID-19; Diet; Dietary Fats - pharmacology; Female; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Humans; Male; Mice; Pandemics; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - genetics; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - metabolism; Pneumonia, Viral - physiopathology; Rats; Resveratrol - pharmacology; SARS-CoV-2; Severity of Illness Index; nutrigenomics; ACE2; SARS; coronavirus; nutrigenetics
• ISSN: 0193-1849; 1522-1555; 1522-1555
• DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00150.2020

The angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) cellular receptor is responsible for the pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), thus impacting the entrance and clearance of the virus. Studies demonstrate that upregulation of ACE2 has a protective effect on SARS-CoV-2 illness severity. Moreover, animal studies demonstrate that dietary intake can modulate ACE2 gene expression and function. A high intake of resveratrol may have a protective role, upregulating ACE2, whereas a high intake of dietary fat may have a detrimental role, downregulating ACE2. As such, we postulate on the biological plausibility of interactions between dietary fat and/or resveratrol and ACE2 gene variations in the modulation of SARS-CoV-2 illness severity. We call to action the research community to test this plausible interaction in a sample of human subjects.