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Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research

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01-02-2022 | SARS-CoV-2 | Original Article

The Effects of ATIR Blocker on the Severity of COVID-19 in Hypertensive Inpatients and Virulence of SARS-CoV-2 in Hypertensive hACE2 Transgenic Mice

Authors: Xiaoliang Jiang, Huadong Li, Yong Liu, Linlin Bao, Lingjun Zhan, Hong Gao, Wei Deng, Jing Xue, Jiangning Liu, Xing Liu, Junli Li, Jie Wang, Shuang Wu, Mingzhe Yan, Wei Luo, Pedro A. Jose, Chuan Qin, Xiuhong Yang, Dingyu Zhang, Zhiwei Yang

Published in: Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research | Issue 1/2022

Abstract

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is required for the cellular entry of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. ACE2, via the Ang-(1-7)-Mas-R axis, is part of the antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects of the renin-angiotensin system. We studied hospitalized COVID-19 patients with hypertension and hypertensive human(h) ACE2 transgenic mice to determine the outcome of COVID-19 with or without AT1 receptor (AT1R) blocker treatment. The severity of the illness and the levels of serum cardiac biomarkers (CK, CK-BM, cTnI), as well as the inflammation markers (IL-1, IL-6, CRP), were lesser in hypertensive COVID-19 patients treated with AT1R blockers than those treated with other antihypertensive drugs. Hypertensive hACE2 transgenic mice, pretreated with AT1R blocker, had increased ACE2 expression and SARS-CoV-2 in the kidney and heart, 1 day post-infection. We conclude that those hypertensive patients treated with AT1R blocker may be at higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, AT1R blockers had no effect on the severity of the illness but instead may have protected COVID-19 patients from heart injury, via the ACE2-angiotensin1-7-Mas receptor axis.

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Title: The Effects of ATIR Blocker on the Severity of COVID-19 in Hypertensive Inpatients and Virulence of SARS-CoV-2 in Hypertensive hACE2 Transgenic Mice
Authors: Xiaoliang Jiang
Huadong Li
Yong Liu
Linlin Bao
Lingjun Zhan
Hong Gao
Wei Deng
Jing Xue
Jiangning Liu
Xing Liu
Junli Li
Jie Wang
Shuang Wu
Mingzhe Yan
Wei Luo
Pedro A. Jose
Chuan Qin
Xiuhong Yang
Dingyu Zhang
Zhiwei Yang
Publication date: 01-02-2022
Publisher: Springer US
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
Hypertension
Hypertension
Published in: Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research / Issue 1/2022
Print ISSN: 1937-5387
Electronic ISSN: 1937-5395
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12265-021-10147-3

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The Effects of ATIR Blocker on the Severity of COVID-19 in Hypertensive Inpatients and Virulence of SARS-CoV-2 in Hypertensive hACE2 Transgenic Mice

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