Physiological implications of COVID-19 in reproduction: angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 a key player

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first identified in China, and it has quickly become a global threat to public health due to its rapid rate of transmission and fatalities. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been identified as a receptor that mediates the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human cells, as in the case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Several studies have reported that ACE2 expression is higher in Leydig, Sertoli and seminiferous ductal cells of males, as well as in ovarian follicle cells of females, suggesting possible potential pathogenicity of the coronavirus in the reproductive system. Higher ACE2 expression in the human placenta and reports of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among clinical cases have increased the relevance of further studies in this area. This review focuses on the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and the ACE2 receptor and speculates on the mechanistic interplay in association with male and female reproductive physiology. In addition, based on the available literature, we discuss the alleged sex differences in terms of the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, which is claimed greater among males, and further explore the physiological role of ACE2 and 17β-oestradiol for the same.