TY - JOUR T1 - Effect of <em>ACE1</em> polymorphism rs1799752 on protein levels of ACE2, the SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor, in alveolar lung epithelium JF - ERJ Open Research JO - erjor DO - 10.1183/23120541.00940-2020 VL - 7 IS - 2 SP - 00940-2020 AU - Merel Jacobs AU - Lies Lahousse AU - Hannelore P. Van Eeckhoutte AU - Sara R.A. Wijnant AU - Joris R. Delanghe AU - Guy G. Brusselle AU - Ken R. Bracke Y1 - 2021/04/01 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/7/2/00940-2020.abstract N2 - Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently invoking a pandemic with a huge medical and financial impact. One of the striking features of this pandemic is the considerable variation in disease presentation and severity amongst patients, ethnic groups, and countries. This variation can be partially explained by differences in population density, demographic factors (age, sex) and comorbidities (e.g. hypertension, obesity and diabetes mellitus). Also, genetic factors likely contribute to SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and/or COVID-19 development.Increased protein levels of ACE2 in alveolar epithelium of subjects who are homozygous for the ACE1 insertion of rs1799752 might facilitate host cell entry of #SARSCoV2 and explain the higher prevalence of #COVID19 in certain regions https://bit.ly/3k6aAE8 ER -