AUTHOR=Torrens-Mas Margalida , Perelló-Reus Catalina M. , Trias-Ferrer Neus , Ibargüen-González Lesly , Crespí Catalina , Galmes-Panades Aina Maria , Navas-Enamorado Cayetano , Sanchez-Polo Andres , Piérola-Lopetegui Javier , Masmiquel Luis , Crespi Lorenzo Socias , Barcelo Carles , Gonzalez-Freire Marta 

TITLE=GDF15 and ACE2 stratify COVID-19 patients according to severity while ACE2 mutations increase infection susceptibility

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.942951

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2022.942951

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a persistent global pandemic with a very heterogeneous disease presentation ranging from a mild disease to dismal prognosis. Early detection of sensitivity and severity of COVID-19 is essential for the development of new treatments. In the present study, we measured the levels of circulating growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in plasma of severity-stratified COVID-19 patients and uninfected control patients and characterized the <italic>in vitro</italic> effects and cohort frequency of ACE2 SNPs. Our results show that while circulating GDF15 and ACE2 stratify COVID-19 patients according to disease severity, ACE2 missense SNPs constitute a risk factor linked to infection susceptibility.</p>