Cited by 5,676SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchCOVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesRenin-Angiotensin System Studies

Tissue distribution of ACE2 protein, the functional receptor for SARS coronavirus. A first step in understanding SARS pathogenesis

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Hamming, I, Timens, W, Bulthuis, MLC, Lely, AT, Navis, GJ, van Goor, H·2004·The Journal of Pathology

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an acute infectious disease that spreads mainly via the respiratory route. A distinct coronavirus (SARS‐CoV) has been identified as the aetiological agent of SARS. Recently, a metallopeptidase named angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been identified as the functional receptor for SARS‐CoV. Although ACE2 mRNA is known to be present in virtually all organs, its protein expression is largely unknown. Since identifying the possible route of infection has major implications for understanding the pathogenesis and future treatment strategies for SARS, the present study investigated the localization of ACE2 protein in various human organs (oral and nasal mucosa, nasopharynx, lung, stomach, small intestine, colon, skin, lymph nodes, thymus, bone marrow, spleen, liver, kidney, and brain). The most remarkable finding was the surface expression of ACE2 protein on lung alveolar epithelial cells and enterocytes of the small intestine. Furthermore, ACE2 was present in arterial and venous endothelial cells and arterial smooth muscle cells in all organs studied. In conclusion, ACE2 is abundantly present in humans in the epithelia of the lung and small intestine, which might provide possible routes of entry for the SARS‐CoV. This epithelial expression, together with the presence of ACE2 in vascular endothelium, also provides a first step in understanding the pathogenesis of the main SARS disease manifestations. Copyright © 2004 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Crossref · 10.1002/path.1570

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Authors
Hamming, I., Timens, W., Bulthuis, M., Lely, A., Navis, G., & van Goor, H.
Affiliations
University Medical Center Groningen (NL)
Corresponding author
Timens, W
Venue
The Journal of Pathology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2004-05-07
Volume
203
Issue
2
Pages
631-637
ISSN
  • 0022-3417 (ISSN-L)
  • 1096-9896
OpenAlex
W2167384912
Cited by
5,676
References
22
Citations by year
2026: 51 · 2025: 131 · 2024: 305 · 2023: 487 · 2022: 905 · 2021: 1589 · 2020: 1907 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 19
FWCI
23.50
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Journal of Pathology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Takeda Oncology
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Renin-Angiotensin System Studies
Keywords
angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, SARS-CoV, SARS pathogenesis, tissue distribution, viral receptor, alveolar epithelial cells, vascular endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, human organs
MeSH terms
Arteries, Epithelial Cells, Female, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Intestine, Small, Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A, Male, Middle Aged, Muscle, Smooth, Muscle, Smooth, Vascular, Pulmonary Alveoli, Receptors, Virus, Skin, Veins, Viral Proteins, Enterocytes, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus

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