Tung N.TCheng P.-CChi K.-HHsiao T.-CJones TB?ruB? KHo K.-FChuang H.-C.TA-CHIH HSIAO2021-08-052021-08-052021489697https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85089813091&doi=10.1016%2fj.scitotenv.2020.141532&partnerID=40&md5=cd626f1fceb78c34270bbeb6ae9c852fhttps://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/577033Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an acute respiratory disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly developed into a pandemic throughout the world. This disease is a highly infectious novel coronavirus and can affect people of all ages. Previous reports observed that particulate matter (PM) provided a platform for intermixing with viruses (i.e., influenza). However, the role of PM in SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains unclear. In this paper, we propose that PM plays a direct role as a “carrier” of SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 is reported to have a high affinity for the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Indirectly, exposure to PM increases ACE2 expression in the lungs which facilitates SARS-CoV-2 viral adhesion. Thus, the high risk of SARS-CoV-2 in heavily polluted regions can be explained by upregulation of ACE2 caused by PM. PM could be both a direct and indirect transmission model for SARS-CoV-2 infection. ? 2020 Elsevier B.V.Particles (particulate matter); Transmissions; Viruses; Angiotensin converting enzyme 2; Coronaviruses; High affinity; Particulate Matter; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus; Transmission model; Up-regulation; Diseases; angiotensin converting enzyme 2; cigarette smoke; coronavirus spike glycoprotein; aerosol; air pollution; airborne virus; atmospheric transport; biomass; coronavirus disease 2019; human; inhalation; Letter; long term exposure; migrant worker; nonhuman; particulate matter; population density; priority journal; refugee; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; traffic pollution; virus transmission; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirinae; Coronavirus infection; pandemic; virus pneumonia; Coronavirus; SARS coronavirus; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Pandemics; Particulate Matter; Pneumonia, Viral[SDGs]SDG3Particles (particulate matter); Transmissions; Viruses; Angiotensin converting enzyme 2; Coronaviruses; High affinity; Particulate Matter; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus; Transmission model; Up-regulation; Diseases; angiotensin converting enzyme 2; cigarette smoke; coronavirus spike glycoprotein; aerosol; air pollution; airborne virus; atmospheric transport; biomass; coronavirus disease 2019; human; inhalation; Letter; long term exposure; migrant worker; nonhuman; particulate matter; population density; priority journal; refugee; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; traffic pollution; virus transmission; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirinae; Coronavirus infection; pandemic; virus pneumonia; Coronavirus; SARS coronavirus; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Pandemics; Particulate Matter; Pneumonia, Viralletter10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141532328582922-s2.0-85089813091