Potential COVID-19 Therapeutic Approach Analysis Through AT2 Cell Targeted Treatment

Abstract

A recent acute respiratory syndrome, also known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide and caused tremendous economic issue and public health concern. While the precise pathological pathway and transmission method remains unknown, current focus among the research has been shifted to developing an efficacious vaccine or treatment to the disease. One potential therapeutic target known currently is angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). It has been shown in previous study that ACE2 could potentially help SARS-CoV-2 virus get into the lung cells and further help the virus thrive. However, though great effort has been put into the vaccine development towards the prevention of the interaction between ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2, the development has been facing a lot of problem, especially since the actual binding pattern of these two still remains unclear. Here, instead of investing the interaction between ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2, researching the most vulnerable cell type that susceptible for the COVID-19 infection can provide a faster and more precise method in fighting against the disease. Alveolar type 2 progenitor cells (AT2 cell), known as "stem-like" cells in the lung tissue helping decrease lung injury and control immune response in lung area, have long been regarded as critical cells for the development of adenocarcinoma. In lung cancer field, lipoplex has been developed to target AT2 cell specifically. Previous finding indicates that AT2 cells contain ACE2 and TMPRSS2, which are critical for SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. Therefore, AT 2 cells could be potential target for COVID19 treatment and drug specifically for AT2 could be considered as treatment candidate for SARS-CoV2.