A potential protective role of losartan against coronavirus-induced lung damage

Abstract

To the Editor—Currently, the coronavirus pandemic imposes a growing general panic worldwide. Millions of people are affected daily by this virus and thousands have already died around the world. The COVID-19 disease is caused by SARS-CoV-2, a novel variant of the virus, similar SARS-CoV. SARS-CoV-2 is a β-genus coronavirus that belongs to a large family of single-stranded enveloped RNA viruses.1 After entering the body, coronaviruses fuse their envelopes with the membranes of host cells, then they transport their genetic material into the affected cells. This essential fusion is mediated by glycosylated spike proteins on the surface of the virion interacting with proper surface receptors on the membrane of the host cell. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor is a known human cell-surface protein to which CoV spike proteins specifically bind.2