Molecular mechanisms of intestinal damage in COVID-19 (literature review) 

Ol'ga A. Levashova, Candidate of biological sciences, аssociate professor, associate professor of the sub-department of medical microbiology and laboratory medicine, Penza Institute of Advanced Medical Studies – branch of the Federal State Government-financed Educational Establishment of Additional Professional Education “Russian Medical Academy of Life-long Professional Learning” of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation (8A Stasova street, Penza, Russia),  olga.lewashowa@yandex.ru
Tat'yana I. Dolgikh, Doctor of medical sciences, professor, head of the sub-department of medical microbiology and laboratory medicine, Penza Institute of Advanced Medical Studies – branch of the Federal State Government-financed Educational Establishment of Additional Professional Education “Russian Medical Academy of Life-long Professional Learning” of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation (8A Stasova street, Penza, Russia),  dolgih-ti@mail.ru
Ol'ga N. Lesina, Candidate of medical sciences, associate professor, head of the sub-department of infectious diseases, Penza Institute of Advanced Medical Studies – branch of the Federal State Government-financed Educational Establishment of Additional Professional Education “Russian Medical Academy of Life-long Professional Learning” of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation (8A Stasova street, Penza, Russia),  olesinasampe@mail.ru
Valeriya G. Mineeva, Infectious disease doctor, head of the infectious boxing department No. 1, Penza Regional Clinical Center for Specialized Types of Medical Aid (33a/23 Kuibysheva/Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia); postgraduate student, Penza Institute of Advanced Medical Studies – branch of the Federal State Government-financed Educational Establishment of Additional Professional Education “Russian Medical Academy of Life-long Professional Learning” of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation (8A Stasova street, Penza, Russia),  barashkina2009@yandex.ru
Nadezhda I. Mikulyak, Doctor of medical sciences, associate professor, head of the sub-department of human physiolgy, Medical Institute, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia),  normphys@mail.ru

Many patients with COVID-19 have gastrointestinal symptoms and diarrhea is of the most common ones. To date, there is no consensus about the mechanisms of COVID- 19-associated intestinal damage. The following can be considered as the most probable ones: increased expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in enterocytes; disruption of autophagy mechanisms; pathological changes in gut microbiota; development of side effects of antiviral and antibacterial drugs. This review provides a systematic review of the molecular mechanisms of gastrointestinal damage, including the development of diarrheal syndrome in COVID-19 patients.

 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, molecular mechanisms, gut, diarrhea, biomarkers

Levashova O.A., Dolgikh T.I., Lesina O.N., Mineeva V.G., Mikulyak N.I. Molecular mechanisms of intestinal damage in COVID-19 (literature review). Izvestiya vysshikh uchebnykh zavedeniy. Povolzhskiy region. Meditsinskie nauki = University proceedings. Volga region. Medical sciences. 2023;(3):216–231. (In Russ.). doi: 10.21685/2072-3032-2023-3-20