Expression of circulating angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in children
with asthma and the effects of inhaled corticosteroids -- ACE2
expression in children with asthma
Abstract
Background: The global spread of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
has resulted in a significant disease burden, yet asthma patients do not
have the expected high morbidity and mortality rates in the pandemics of
COVID-19. Objective:To find the difference of angiotensin-converting
enzyme 2 (ACE2) in asthma and non-asthma children and evaluate the
effect of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) on its expression. Methods: The
ACE2, immunoglobulin E (IgE) and eosinophils were tested in different
children. Results: A total of 157 children aged 3-16 years were
enrolled. The expression of ACE2 in asthma children were lower than
non-asthma children (T=-2.512, P=0.013). Allergic non-asthma children
had a significant higher ACE2 expression than children with allergic
asthma (P=0.013) and non-allergic asthma (P=0.029). The expression of
ACE2 had no significant difference between first diagnosed asthma
children and that had been treated with ICS for≥6 months (F=0.028,
P=0.598). The allergic asthma children showed a significantly higher
Eosinophils cells (EC) count than the allergic non-asthma (W=200,
P<0.001) and non-allergic non-asthma children (W=1089, P<0.001).
Non-allergic asthma children also had a significant higher EC count than
the allergic non-asthma (W=182.5, P<0.001) and non-allergic non-asthma
(W= 200.5, P<0.001) children. There was no significant difference in
IgE levels between asthmatic children and non-asthmatic children
(W=2792.5, P= 0.18). Conclusion: Circulating ACE2 levels in asthmatic
children were lower than those in non-asthmatic children and ICS
treatment for ≥6 months did not affect the expression of ACE2 in
peripheral blood in the asthma children.