Hyperactivated RAGE in Comorbidities as a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19—The Role of RAGE-RAS Crosstalk
Sara Chiappalupi, Laura Salvadori, Rosario Donato, Francesca Riuzzi, Guglielmo Sorci
Abstract
The receptor for advanced glycation-end products (RAGE) is a multiligand receptor with a role in inflammatory and pulmonary pathologies. Hyperactivation of RAGE by its ligands has been reported to sustain inflammation and oxidative stress in common comorbidities of severe COVID-19. RAGE is essential to the deleterious effects of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which participates in infection and multiorgan injury in COVID-19 patients. Thus, RAGE might be a major player in severe COVID-19, and appears to be a useful therapeutic molecular target in infections by SARS-CoV-2. The role of RAGE gene polymorphisms in predisposing patients to severe COVID-19 is discussed. .