Open AccessPulmonary ACE2 expression in neonatal and adult rats
Author(s) -
Zhao Depeng,
Chen Xueyu,
Han Dongshan,
Zhong Junyan,
Zhang SuE,
Yang Chuanzhong
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
febs open bio
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.718
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 2211-5463
DOI - 10.1002/2211-5463.13232
Subject(s) - lung , immunohistochemistry , western blot , immunofluorescence , angiotensin converting enzyme 2 , phenotype , receptor , respiratory system , medicine , alveolar cells , biology , pathology , endocrinology , immunology , covid-19 , antibody , gene , biochemistry , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Children show a distinct presentation of COVID‐19, characterized by a lower incidence and mild phenotype, but the reason for this is still unknown. The angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) functions as the primary cell entry receptor for Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) and is thought to cause distinct clinical features between children and old people. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether differences exist in the level of expression and distribution of ACE2 between neonatal and adult rat lungs. The lung tissues from rats of various ages were used to investigate the expression patterns of ACE2. Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence were used to quantify or identify the localization of ACE2 in rat lungs. ACE2 was homogenously expressed in fewer alveolar type II (AT2) cells in the neonatal lung, with no polarization to the alveolar space and additional expression in pulmonary endothelium when compared to adult rat lungs. These findings suggest that the patterns of ACE2 distribution and cellular localization in rat lungs change with age.