High expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in colorectal cancer patients
Chao Liu, Kai Wang, Min Zhang, Xiaoyu Hu, Tian Hu, Yumei Liu, Qinyong Hu, Shikai Wu, Jinbo Yue
Abstract
Little is known of the patterns of expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 or the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in patients with COVID-19 and colorectal cancer. We found in both bulk and single-cell RNA-seq profiles that ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were expressed at high levels on tumor and normal colorectal epithelial tissues. Clinically, patients with colorectal cancer and COVID-19 were more likely to have lymphopenia, higher respiratory rate, and high hypersensitive C-reactive protein levels than matched patients with COVID-19 but without cancer. These results suggest that patients with colorectal cancer may be particularly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further mechanistic studies are needed to support our findings.