Estrogen may lessen severity of COVID-19 symptoms in women, study finds


Date:
August 27, 2020
Source:
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Summary:
Why are men at greater risk than women for more severe symptoms
and worse outcomes from COVID-19 regardless of age?


FULL STORY ==========================================================================
Why are men at greater risk than women for more severe symptoms and
worse outcomes from COVID-19 regardless of age?

==========================================================================
In an effort to understand why this occurs, scientists at Wake Forest
School of Medicine conducted a review of published preclinical data
on sex-specific hormone activity, especially estrogen. The review
is published in the September online issue of the journal Current
Hypertension Reports.

"We know that coronavirus affects the heart and we know that estrogen
is protective against cardiovascular disease in women, so the most
likely explanation seemed to be hormonal differences between the sexes,"
said the lead author of the review, Leanne Groban, M.D., professor of anesthesiology at Wake Forest School of Medicine, part of Wake Forest
Baptist Health.

Groban's researchers said the published literature indicated that the angiotensin-converting enzyme2 (ACE2), which is attached to cell membranes
in the heart, arteries, kidneys and intestines, is the cellular receptor
of the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 infections, and helps bring
the virus into the cells of those organ systems.

The review, they said, also pointed to estrogen's lowering the level
of ACE2 in the heart, which may modulate the severity of COVID-19 in
women. Conversely, higher levels of ACE2 in tissues could account for
why symptoms are worse in men than women, Groban said.

"We hope that our review regarding the role of estrogenic hormones in ACE2 expression and regulation may explain the gender differences in COVID-19 infection and outcomes, and serve as a guide for current treatment and
the development of new therapies," Groban said.

The research was supported from Program Project Grant HL-051952 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of
Health and grants AG042758 and AG033727 from the National Institute on
Aging, National Institutes of Health.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
Wake_Forest_Baptist_Medical_Center. Note: Content may be edited for
style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Leanne Groban, Hao Wang, Xuming Sun, Sarfaraz Ahmad, Carlos
M. Ferrario.

Is Sex a Determinant of COVID-19 Infection? Truth or Myth? Current
Hypertension Reports, 2020; 22 (9) DOI: 10.1007/s11906-020-01073-x ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200827154957.htm

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