Low hanging fruit for combatting SARS‐CoV‐2?

Abstract

Entry of SARS‐CoV‐2 into human respiratory cells, mediated by the spike protein, is absolutely dependent on the cellular receptor ACE2 (angiotensin‐converting enzyme‐2). This makes ACE2 an attractive target for therapeutic intervention in COVID‐19. In this issue, Zuo et al. discover that vitamin C, an essential nutrient and common dietary supplement, can target ACE2 for ubiquitin‐dependent degradation, resulting in the inhibition of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection (Zuo et al, 2023). The study identifies novel mechanisms of cellular ACE2 regulation and may inform the design of therapeutics targeting SARS‐2 and related coronaviruses.