Single-cell RNA sequencing data suggest a role for angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in kidney impairment in patients infected with 2019-novel coronavirus

The World Health Organization has recently declared the 2019-novel coronavirus(2019-nCoV)a global public health emergency.Huang et al[1]reported acute kidney injury(AKI)in 7%of the 41 patients infected with 2019-nCoV,this value was even higher(up to 31%)among intensive-care patients.Furthermore,Li et al[2]reported that plasma creatinine levels increased in 11 of 59 patients with 2019-nCoV infection,suggesting that kidney function was probably impaired when the disease progressed.Guan et al[3]reported that plasma creatinine level increased in 4.3%of severely diseased patients.2019-nCoV is a highly contagious pathogen that predominantly causes pneumonic symptoms.Although respiratory failure has been associated with the highest mortality,the lung was not the only organ involved.Hoffmann et al[4]reported that 2019-nCoV and severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus(SARS-CoV)share a common receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2)that is required to enter target cells,and cellular protease transmembrane protease serine 2(TMPRSS2)can cleave and activate the spike protein of 2019-nCoV for membrane fusion.We investigated whether ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were expressed in kidney cells using precisiontechnology single-cell RNA sequencing.