| Background |
ACE2 (Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2), also named as ACEH, is a zinc metalloprotease of the ACE family and a critical regulator of the reninangiotensin system. ACE2 has a more restricted tissue distribution than ACE, being found predominantly in the heart, kidneys, and testes although low levels have been detected in a variety of tissues (PMID:15983030). ACE2 has been shown to be a functional receptor of the human coronaviruses SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 (PMID: 32142651). The expression level and expression pattern of human ACE2 in different tissues might be critical for the susceptibility, symptoms, and outcome of 2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2 infection (PMID: 32133153). It can be used as a potential therapeutic target of SARS-CoV-2 (PMID: 32125455). The calculated molecular weight of ACE2 is 92kDa but it migrates to 120kDa due to N-glycosylation (PMID:16166094). Sometimes, several cleaved fragments can also be detected as 75kDa, 50 kDa or 37kDa (PMID: 29561187, 22009550, 30759273). It has 2 isoforms produced by alternative splicing. This antibody is specific to ACE2. The location of ACE2 is membrane and cytoplasm, however it accumulates in the nucleus during the mitosis (PMID: 1730413/PMID: 18292088). |
