Fig. 1.

The role of the Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS) pathway in COVID-19, Insulin resistance and diabetes infection.

Adapted from Huang et al., 2020. This diagram illustrates the RAAS pathway, highlighting the cleavage of angiotensinogen by renin to produce angiotensin I (AngI) and Ang II via angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). AngII receptors type 1 (AT1R) and type 2 (AT2R), initiates the biological functions of AngII. ACE2 (homologue of ACE) cleaves Ang II and generates Ang (1–7) which exerts its function via the Mas receptor. The SARS CoV-2 binds to ACE2 receptor and decreases its expression and subsequently increases AngII resulting in multi-systemic inflammatory responses