RECOMBINANT SARS-CoV-2 SPIKE PROTEIN INHIBITS ACE AND INCREASES AT1 RECEPTOR mRNA EXPRESSION IN HUMAN BRONCHIAL SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 has several important structural proteins, including spike (S) glycoprotein, envelope (E) glycoprotein, membrane (M) glycoprotein, and nucleocapsid (N) protein. Spike protein (Sp) recognizes and binds the surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and it is a critical step for virus entry. The renin–angiotensin–system (RAS) is a cascade that orchestrates key processes in human pathophysiology. In RAS, renin converts angiotensinogen into angiotensin I (Ang I) in the liver. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) converts Ang I into Ang II, predominantly in the lungs. Ang II binds to receptors AT1 and AT2. ACE2 is an enzyme that catalyzes the cleavage of Ang II into Ang (1-7), and Ang I to Ang (1-9).