PreprintCited by 860SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchCOVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesSingle-cell and spatial transcriptomics

Single-cell RNA expression profiling of ACE2, the receptor of SARS-CoV-2

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Zhao, Yu, Zhao, Zixian, Wang, Yujia, Zhou, Yueqing, Ma, Yu, Zuo, Wei·2020·bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Preprint — published as 10.1164/rccm.202001-0179le · Paper page

Abstract

Abstract A novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 was identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December of 2019. According to WHO report, this new coronavirus has resulted in 76,392 confirmed infections and 2,348 deaths in China by 22 February, 2020, with additional patients being identified in a rapidly growing number internationally. SARS-CoV-2 was reported to share the same receptor, Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), with SARS-CoV. Here based on the public database and the state-of-the-art single-cell RNA-Seq technique, we analyzed the ACE2 RNA expression profile in the normal human lungs. The result indicates that the ACE2 virus receptor expression is concentrated in a small population of type II alveolar cells (AT2). Surprisingly, we found that this population of ACE2-expressing AT2 also highly expressed many other genes that positively regulating viral entry, reproduction and transmission. This study provides a biological background for the epidemic investigation of the COVID-19, and could be informative for future anti-ACE2 therapeutic strategy development.

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. [5]5. Carlos WG, Cruz CSD, Cao B, Pasnick S, Jamil S. Novel Wuhan (2019-nCoV) Coronavirus. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2020; 201: P7-P8.
  2. [16]16. Zhao Y, Zhao ZX, Wang YJ, Zhou YQ, Ma Y, Zuo W. Single-cell RNA expression profiling of ACE2, the putative receptor of Wuhan 2019-nCov. bioRxiv 2020.01.26.919985.

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Authors
Zhao, Y., Zhao, Z., Wang, Y., Zhou, Y., Ma, Y., & Zuo, W.
Affiliations
  • Tongji University (CN)
  • Regend Therapeutics (China) (CN)
Corresponding author
Zuo, Wei
Venue
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Publisher
openRxiv
Published
2020-01-26
OpenAlex
W3003154936
Cited by
860
References
20
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 56 · 2021: 194 · 2020: 576 · 2019: 2
Type
posted content
Language
en
Open access
Locations
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
Keywords
ACE2, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pandemic, single-cell RNA sequencing, alveolar type II cells, lung tissue, viral receptor expression, SARS-CoV

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