Genetic and Hormonal Influence on SARS-CoV-2 Infection Susceptibility
October 2020
in “
Annals of Oncology
”
TLDR Men may be more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 due to genetic and hormonal factors, but more research is needed.
The document discussed the potential genetic and hormonal influences on susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly focusing on the differences in COVID-19 outcomes between genders. It highlighted that men were more vulnerable to severe outcomes, possibly due to male hormones and genetic factors such as Y chromosome polymorphisms. The study analyzed SARS-CoV-2-infected prostate cancer patients in Italy and suggested that androgen receptor (AR) gene variants might play a role, although a direct link to COVID-19 severity was not established. Additionally, the document mentioned the importance of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 genes, which are crucial for viral entry, and their genetic variants that might explain sex-related differences in disease severity. However, it concluded that more extensive studies were needed to confirm the role of genetic modulators in COVID-19 outcomes.
