Potential pharmacological approach in the regulation of angiotensin-II conversion enzyme and dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 in diabetic COVID-19 patients
Francesco Ferrara, Antonio Vitiello
Abstract
The global pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused more than 1 million deaths worldwide. Some vaccines in clinical trials have reached stage 3. In the meantime, the understanding of biological and pathophysiological mechanisms of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is still unclear, such as the role that angiotensin-II conversion enzyme (ACE-2) and dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP-IV) may play in patients with diabetes related to COVID-19. The individual with diabetes is a known COVID-19 risk patient. Probably, the pharmacological regulation of the angiotensin renin system and ACE-2 on the one hand, and of the incretin system and DPP-IV on the other hand, could represent a therapeutic route of fundamental importance to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection or of severe complications caused by infection.