Androgen Signaling Regulates SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Levels and Is Associated with Severe COVID-19 Symptoms in Men

    December 2020 in “ Cell Stem Cell ”
    Ryan S Samuel, Homa Majd, Mikayla N. Richter, Zaniar Ghazizadeh, Seyedeh M. Zekavat, Albertas Navickas, Jonathan Ramirez, Hosseinali Asgharian, Camille R. Simoneau, Luke R. Bonser, Kyung S. Koh, Miguel Garcia-Knight, Michel Tassetto, Sara Sunshine, Sina Farahvashi, Ali Kalantari, Wei Liu, Raul Andino, Hongyu Zhao, Pradeep Natarajan, David J. Erle, Melanie Ott, Hani Goodarzi, Faranak Fattahi
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    TLDR Male hormones affect COVID-19 severity and certain drugs targeting these hormones could help reduce the risk.
    The study from December 2020 explored the connection between androgen signaling and the severity of COVID-19 symptoms in men, particularly focusing on the regulation of ACE2, the receptor for SARS-CoV-2. The researchers conducted various analyses, including drug screening on human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiac cells and lung organoids, and examined clinical data from COVID-19 patients. They found that antiandrogenic drugs, which target the androgen signaling pathway, effectively reduced ACE2 expression and protected against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Clinical data supported these findings, showing that conditions associated with elevated androgen levels, such as prostate diseases, were significant risk factors for severe COVID-19. The study also suggested that genetic variants increasing androgen levels were linked to higher disease severity. The research indicates that antiandrogenic drugs could be potential therapeutic options for reducing the severity of COVID-19 in men. The document does not specify the number of people involved in the clinical aspect of the study.
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