Exercise-induced myokines downregulates the ACE2 level in bronchial epithelial cells: Implications for SARS-CoV-2 prevention.
Vaishali BhardwajMart Dela CruzDeepika SubramanyamRohit KumarSandeep MarkanBeth ParkerHemant K RoyPublished in: PloS one (2022)
The current study explores a novel approach of a modified exercise cell culture system and uses ACE2 and TMPRSS2 as a surrogate marker of SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. In conclusion, we demonstrated biological data supporting exercise's protective effect against Covid-19. These further strengthen myokines' beneficial role as potential therapeutic targets against SARS-CoV-2 and similar viruses albeit these preliminary cell culture studies will require future validation in animal models.