Angiotensin I converting enzyme II

Angiotensin I converting enzyme II or ACE2, also known as ACEH, is part of the renin-angiotensin system, which regulates blood pressure, and the balance of fluids and salts in the body.

Function

The ACE2 encoding gene is believed to have a role in the carcardiovascular/circulatory system, kidney function, and fertility.

ACE2 cuts the angiotensin I protein, convert it into angiotensin II.

ME/CFS

Lieberman and Bell (1992) found higher serum ACE2 levels in 80% of patients with ME/CFS, compared to 9.4% of controls.

POTS

Musafa et al. (2012) found some patients with POTS have "inappropriately high plasma angiotensin II levels", and estimated that these patents had low ACE2 activity.

COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, uses ACE2 receptors to binds to human cell. Yan et al 2020) suggest that blocking ACE2 receptors may potentially prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Notable studies

• 1992, Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme as a marker for the chronic fatigue-immune dysfunction syndrome: A comparison to serum angiotensin-converting enzyme in sarcoidosis
• 2012, Abnormalities of Angiotensin Regulation in Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

See also

• Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
• COVID-19
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme

Learn more

• ACE2 gene - Genetics Home Reference, US Library of Medicine
• ACE2 gene - PubMed

serum The clear yellowish fluid that remains from blood plasma after clotting factors have been removed by clot formation. (Blood plasma is simply blood that has had its blood cells removed.)

postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) - A form of orthostatic intolerance where the cardinal symptom is excessive tachycardia due to changing position (e.g. from lying down to sitting up).