Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) shares some homologies with ACE2. However, they are not inhibited by the same inhibitors, but both are associated primarily with the hypertensive disorder through the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). The principal activity of ACE2 is to metabolize Ang II into the vasodilatory Ang-(1-7). The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has brought the ACE2 to the center of attention. This coronavirus uses the host cell ACE2 protein to enter and infect the epithelial cells. In light of the virus's entrance into human cells, the differences in the molecular basis of ACE2 among affected patients may cause their different responses to the virus. Many details about the specific interaction between the viral S protein and ACE2 are already reported. To date, some effective clinically approved vaccines are in use globally, and many others are under development, but no effective specific therapeutic drugs are available against COVID-19. Inhibitors, especially peptide inhibitors, have a great potential to be used for the treatment of COVID-19 and other possible emerging diseases caused by viral pathogens. As a result of the well-known viral protein structures and their host cell targets such as ACE2, antiviral peptides could be appropriately designed and optimized for therapeutic purposes. A better understanding of the structure and pathophysiology of the ACE2 receptor and the interplay between the viral S protein and ACE2 may help to find the solution for the virus treatment. This review summarizes the current understanding of S protein interaction with the ACE2 protein as a potential specific target against SARS-CoV-2 and strategies using peptides against COVID-19.

中文翻译：

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ACE2 和 SARS-CoV-2 S 蛋白之间的相互作用：用于针对 COVID-19 的潜在药物开发的肽抑制剂。


血管紧张素转换酶 (ACE) 与 ACE2 有一些同源性。然而，它们不受相同抑制剂的抑制，但两者主要通过肾素-血管紧张素系统（RAS）与高血压疾病相关。 ACE2 的主要活性是将 Ang II 代谢为血管舒张剂 Ang-(1-7)。由严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2 (SARS-CoV-2) 引起的持续的 COVID-19 大流行使 ACE2 成为人们关注的焦点。这种冠状病毒利用宿主细胞ACE2蛋白进入并感染上皮细胞。鉴于病毒进入人体细胞，受影响患者之间ACE2分子基础的差异可能导致他们对病毒的不同反应。关于病毒 S 蛋白和 ACE2 之间的特异性相互作用的许多细节已经被报道。迄今为止，一些有效的临床批准疫苗已在全球使用，还有许多其他疫苗正在开发中，但尚无针对 COVID-19 的有效特异性治疗药物。抑制剂，特别是肽抑制剂，在治疗COVID-19和其他可能由病毒病原体引起的新发疾病方面具有巨大的潜力。由于众所周知的病毒蛋白结构及其宿主细胞靶标（例如 ACE2），可以针对治疗目的适当设计和优化抗病毒肽。更好地了解 ACE2 受体的结构和病理生理学以及病毒 S 蛋白和 ACE2 之间的相互作用可能有助于找到病毒治疗的解决方案。本综述总结了目前对 S 蛋白与 ACE2 蛋白相互作用作为抗 SARS-CoV-2 潜在特异性靶点的认识，以及使用肽抗 COVID-19 的策略。