Men’s blood has higher levels than women’s of a key enzyme used by the new coronavirus to infect cells, according to a new European study.

The higher presence of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) found in the heart, kidneys, in tissues lining blood vessels, and in particularly high levels in the testes, could explain why more men die from COVID-19.

ACE2 is a receptor on the surface of cells which binds to the new coronavirus and allows it to enter and infect cells.

While men and women are equally likely to catch the coronavirus, men are more likely to suffer severe effects of the disease, in part due to their higher levels of ACE2, according to the lead researcher.

‘ACE2 binds to the coronavirus and allows it to enter and infect healthy cells after it is has been modified by another protein on the surface of the cell, called TMPRSS2,’ said Dr Adriaan Voors at the University Medical Center Groningen in The Netherlands.

‘High levels of ACE2 are present in the lungs and, therefore, it is thought to play a crucial role in the progression of lung disorders related to COVID-19.’

The study, published in the European Heart Journal, also found that widely-prescribed drugs called ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) did not lead to higher ACE2 concentrations and should therefore not increase the COVID-19 risk for people taking them.

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