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SARS-CoV-2 infection and its effects on the endocrine system

Charlotte Steenblock1, Nicole Toepfner2, Felix Beuschlein3

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine III, University Clinic Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.

Best Practice & Research. Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
|March 12, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infects endocrine organs, impacting functions like blood sugar regulation. Further research is needed to understand these complex interactions and their clinical implications.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Virology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus causing COVID-19, targets multiple organs.
  • The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, crucial for viral entry, is widely present in endocrine tissues.
  • Post-mortem analyses confirm SARS-CoV-2 presence in various endocrine organs of COVID-19 patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on endocrine organs.
  • To explore direct and indirect mechanisms of viral effects on the endocrine system.
  • To understand the bidirectional relationship between endocrine diseases and COVID-19 severity.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of post-mortem endocrine tissues from COVID-19 patients.
  • Review of existing literature on SARS-CoV-2 and endocrine system interactions.
  • Pathological examination of infected endocrine organs.

Main Results:

  • SARS-CoV-2 can directly damage endocrine organs, leading to dysfunction such as hyperglycemia or new-onset diabetes.
  • Viral infection may cause indirect endocrine system disturbances through incompletely understood mechanisms.
  • Endocrine diseases can exacerbate COVID-19 severity.

Conclusions:

  • SARS-CoV-2 poses a significant threat to endocrine health.
  • Further investigation into the precise mechanisms of viral impact on endocrine function is crucial.
  • Managing non-communicable endocrine diseases is important for mitigating COVID-19 severity.
Keywords:
ACE2COVID-19SARS-CoV-2autoimmuneendocrinemetabolic

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