Renin Angiotensin System and Covid-19 Infection

Abstract

Purpose: The new coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, is responsible for the recent global pandemicCOVID-19. The status of the global pandemic COVID-19 is currently underway, and the virushas caused about 1.11 million deaths. Several SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are in phase 3 clinicaltrials. Pending the availability of safe and effective vaccines, pharmacological treatments areexperimental and aimed at avoiding the most serious complications of the infection.Methods: This article explores and describes the scientific evidence in the literature and thescientific pharmacological and molecular rationale to consider drugs that modulate the reninangiotensinsystem (RAS) system as therapeutic agents that if administered appropriately canhelp the host organism to fight SARS-CoV-2 infection.Results: It is known from the 2003 SARS epidemic that the critical receptor for SARS-CoV entryinto host cells is the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the strain involved in the currentSARS-CoV-2 epidemic is similar to the SARS-CoV strain involved in the 2002-2003 SARS epidemic.ACE-2 is part of the RAS system, the modulation of this enzyme could be of therapeutic efficacy.Conclusion: Depending on pharmacological knowledge, and epidemiological evidence inthe literature based on current knowledge of the mechanism of penetration of SARS-CoV-2 incells, and the role of ACE-2 in the inflammatory state of infection, therapeutic treatments thatmodulate RAS could be a weapon to fight COVID-19 infection.

Keywords: ACE-2, RAS, COVID-19, Sars-CoV-2, Renin