The omicron variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which have rapidly spread around the world over the past year, latch onto our cells more tightly, invade them more efficiently, and elude many of the antibodies induced by previous infections and vaccines.
A recent study in the Journal of Biomedical Science examines the critical role of ACE2, an enzyme involved in blood volume and electrolyte balance, in chronic diseases like cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and COVID-19. The research suggests that ACE2 could serve as both a disease severity biomarker and a therapeutic target.