Coronavirus, causing serious complications in men, put it at the mercy of testosterone levels. Italian scientists from the University of Lugano said that blocking sex hormone four times reduces the probability of death for men infected COVID-19. This hypothesis was set forth recently in the journal Annals of Oncology.
Faced with the numerous cases of infection COVID-19, the researchers noticed an unexplained greater susceptibility to he of the stronger sex. Men and the disease itself is heavier, and they die from its effects almost two times more often. Probably, they have more receptors in the epithelial cells lining the surface of the alveoli, which are responsible for communication with the dangerous virus, the scientists suggested.
Doctors from Lugano I believe I have found confirmation of this. They happened to notice that the men receiving antiandrogen drugs, used against prostate cancer, reduces the concentration of one of these auxiliary receptor protein TMPRSS2 (or protease), after which the patients are easier to tolerate COVID-19.
the treatment was aimed at suppressing protein initially, because it was directly linked with the production of harmful in the treatment of tumors of testosterone, and the fight against coronavirus was his “side effect”.
the Researchers checked the data of ten thousand inhabitants of Venice who contracted the coronavirus 2019. 10 percent of those treated for prostate cancer. So, those of cancer patients who took drugs that reduce testosterone production, has shifted the disease is easier and is 4-5 times less likely to die from it compared to other cancer patients.
to Comment on this study, we asked the head of the laboratory of epigenetics of the Institute of General genetics of RAS Sergey Kiselev.
– It is impossible to call a serious scientific investigation. How to write the Italians themselves, this is an assumption which still require clinical trials to prove, – says Sergey Nazarov.
Yes, they noticed that those men who have had problems, in particular a tumor of the prostate, and who were taking anti-androgenic drugs, coronavirus infection was easier. Let us clarify that in this case it is not all cancer patients who have COVID-19 only aggravates their disease.
Scientists noticed the relationship of the drugs with reduced expression of the receptor ACE2 and TMPRSS2 protein (called protease), through which the virus binds to cells.
In this work, a lot needs to be verified. Firstly, to prove whether men have more of these receptors, responsible for liaising with the virus SARS-CoV-2, than women. Second, to hold not simply the observation and counting, and a full clinical trial Danno�� hypothesis.
by the Way, currently there are many similar observations of the dependence of certain factors increases or decreases expression (activity) of the receptor that contribute to the exacerbation COVID-19. There is evidence that it increases Smoking and taking antihypertensive (blood pressure lowering) drugs. All this waiting serious research.
If the effect of reduction of testosterone on the COVID-19 is proved, the men will artificially lower the production of sex hormones?
– Nobody will force them to do it, if they are healthy. But if a man has contracted coronavirus infection and want to recover faster, I think he will compromise and some time will take antiandrogen medications.
see also: Doctors found in seed of infected men coronavirus
