The pivotal role of TMPRSS2 in coronavirus disease 2019 and prostate cancer

• Published in: Future oncology (London, England) Vol. 16; no. 27; pp. 2029 - 2033
• Main Authors: Mollica, Veronica, Rizzo, Alessandro, Massari, Francesco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Future Medicine Ltd 01.09.2020
• Subjects: Androgens; Androgens - metabolism; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; Betacoronavirus - metabolism; Betacoronavirus - pathogenicity; Carcinogenesis - pathology; Cell growth; Coronavirus Infections - drug therapy; Coronavirus Infections - pathology; Coronavirus Infections - transmission; Coronavirus Infections - virology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disease Progression; Disease transmission; Estrogens - metabolism; Gabexate - analogs & derivatives; Gabexate - pharmacology; Gabexate - therapeutic use; Gender differences; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Genes; Humans; Infections; Influenza; Lung - pathology; Lung - virology; Male; Males; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion - genetics; Pandemics; Pathogenesis; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - metabolism; Pneumonia, Viral - drug therapy; Pneumonia, Viral - pathology; Pneumonia, Viral - transmission; Pneumonia, Viral - virology; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Prostate - pathology; Prostate cancer; Prostatic Neoplasms - genetics; Prostatic Neoplasms - mortality; Prostatic Neoplasms - pathology; Protease Inhibitors - pharmacology; Protease Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Proteins; Public health; RNA-Seq; SARS-CoV-2; Serine Endopeptidases - genetics; Serine Endopeptidases - metabolism; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus - metabolism; TMPRSS2; Tumors; Viral infections; Virus Internalization - drug effects; Womens health; COVID-19; TMPRSS2; SARS-CoV-2; prostate cancer
• ISSN: 1479-6694; 1744-8301; 1744-8301
• DOI: 10.2217/fon-2020-0571

[...]in the presence of this gene fusion androgen-responsive elements within the TMPRSS2 promoter drive the overexpression of ERG. Interestingly, differences in TMPRSS2 expression in lung cells may vary across different populations, an element which could be implied in susceptibility to coronavirus and influenza virus infections. [...]revealing how the expression of TMPRSS2 protein in the lung could vary between men and women has been indicated as an important element in understanding differential susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this context, another key element to consider could lie in the modifications of lung TMPRSS2 expression caused by viral infections, as suggested by previous findings on SARS-CoV and ACE2 receptor (16). [...]single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been linked to higher expression of TMPRSS2 protein, something which has been associated with an increased susceptibility to influenza virus infection (17). Most notably, RHO GTPases have been associated, according to previous studies, with membrane remodeling and viral cycle, especially in terms of entry, replication and viral spread (20,21); thus, transient secretory pulmonary cells could be particularly vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Since COVID-19 is a disease previously unknown to human beings, no proven treatments exist at present and the most important public health solution would be an effective vaccine (1).