Variability in digestive and respiratory tract Ace2 expression is associated with the microbiome

PLoS One. 2021 Mar 16;16(3):e0248730. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248730. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) patients exhibiting gastrointestinal symptoms are reported to have worse prognosis. Ace2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2), the gene encoding the host protein to which SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins bind, is expressed in the gut and therefore may be a target for preventing or reducing severity of COVID-19. Here we test the hypothesis that Ace2 expression in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts is modulated by the microbiome. We used quantitative PCR to profile Ace2 expression in germ-free mice, conventional raised specific pathogen-free mice, and gnotobiotic mice colonized with different microbiota. Intestinal Ace2 expression levels were significantly higher in germ-free mice compared to conventional mice. A similar trend was observed in the respiratory tract. Intriguingly, microbiota depletion via antibiotics partially recapitulated the germ-free phenotype, suggesting potential for microbiome-mediated regulation of Ace2 expression. Variability in intestinal Ace2 expression was observed in gnotobiotic mice colonized with different microbiota, partially attributable to differences in microbiome-encoded proteases and peptidases. Together, these data suggest that the microbiome may be one modifiable factor determining COVID-19 infection risk and disease severity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein / deficiency
  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein / genetics
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 / genetics
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Colon / enzymology*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
  • Gene Expression
  • Interleukin-10 / deficiency
  • Interleukin-10 / genetics
  • Intestine, Small / enzymology*
  • Lung / enzymology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout

Substances

  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein
  • adenomatous polyposis coli protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-10
  • Ace2 protein, mouse
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2