• FluTrackers.com Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster. The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website. By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.
  • We are not asking for any donations. Do not donate to any entity who says they are raising funds for us.

Diabetes . Possible Involvement of Adipose Tissue in Older and Obese Diabetic Patients with Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Infection (COVID-19) via GRP78 (

tetano

Editor, Senior Moderator
Diabetes


. 2021 Oct 6;db201094.
doi: 10.2337/db20-1094. Online ahead of print.
Possible Involvement of Adipose Tissue in Older and Obese Diabetic Patients with Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Infection (COVID-19) via GRP78 (BIP/HSPA5): Significance of Hyperinsulinemia Management in COVID-19


Jihoon Shin[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Shinichiro Toyoda[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Shigeki Nishitani[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Atsunori Fukuhara[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Shunbun Kita[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Michio Otsuki[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Iichiro Shimomura[SUP] 3 [/SUP]



Affiliations

Abstract

Aging, obesity and diabetes are major risk factors for the severe progression and outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19), but the underlying mechanism is not yet fully understood. In this study, we found that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein physically interacts with cell surface GRP78, which promotes the binding to and accumulation in ACE2-expressing cells. GRP78 was highly expressed in adipose tissue and increased in older and obese diabetic human and mouse subjects. The overexpression of GRP78 was attributed to hyperinsulinemia in adipocytes, which was in part mediated by the stress-responsive transcription factor XBP-1s. Management of hyperinsulinemia by pharmacological approaches, including metformin, SGLT2 inhibitor or β3-adrenergic receptor agonist, decreased GRP78 gene expression in adipose tissue. Environmental interventions, including exercise, calorie restriction, fasting or cold exposure, reduced the gene expression of GRP78 in adipose tissue. This study provides scientific evidence for the role of GRP78 as a binding partner of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2, which might be related to the severe progression and outcome of COVID-19 in older and obese diabetic patients. The management of hyperinsulinemia and the related GRP78 expression could be a potential therapeutic or preventative target.
 
Back
Top Bottom