Abstract On COVID-19 Shedding From NIH Site

By Andrey Letarov, Vladislav Babenko and Eugene Kulilov at the NIH

Here’s the part on shedding:

We hypothesize that the soluble S1 subunits of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein shed from the infected cells and from the virions in vivo may bind to the ACE2 and downregulate cell surface expression of this protein. The decrease in the ACE2 activity on the background of constant or increased ACE activity in the lungs may lead to the prevalence of angiotensin II effects over those of angiotensin (1-7), thus promoting thrombosis, inflammation and pulmonary damage.

Many thanks to Shasta nurse Shannon Eckelbarger on Facebook for sending this research statement.