In addition to the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the major organ systems of the body, there may also be reproductive consequences that go beyond the capacity to survive a viral attack from this pandemic agent of disease.
COVID-19 and human spermatozoa – potential risks for infertility and sexual transmission?
Aitken RJ. Andrology 2021; 9 (1): 48–52. doi: 10.1111/andr.12859.
As COVID-19 infections wreak havoc across the globe, attention has focused on the vital organ systems (lung, kidney and heart) that are vulnerable to viral attack and contribute to the acute pathology associated with this disease. However, we should not lose sight of the fact that COVID-19 will attack any cell type in the body expressing ACE2 – including human spermatozoa. These cells possess the entire repertoire of receptors (AT1R, AT2R, MAS) and ligand processing enzymes (ACE1 and ACE2) needed to support the angiotensin signalling cascade. The latter not only provides COVID-19 with a foothold on the sperm surface but may also promote integration, given the additional presence of a range of proteases (TMPRSS2, TMPRSS11B, TMPRSS12, furin) capable of promoting viral fusion.
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