In this article, Subbarayan et al. analyze the role of the TMPRSS2 protein, which helps SARS-CoV-2 enter cells, in different types of cancer. They find that tumor cells with high TMPRSS2 levels show increased immune activity but reduced effectiveness of certain immune cells. These changes may affect how cancer patients respond to immunotherapy, especially when infected with COVID-19. The findings suggest new approaches to improve treatment and reduce COVID-19 severity in cancer patients.

In this research, Escalona-Rodríguez and collaborators explore a non-viral strategy to deliver therapeutic genes into human cells. They develop a new molecule that combines a pore-forming protein with a DNA-binding peptide. This system helps release genetic material trapped inside cells, a key challenge in gene therapy. While the molecule succeeds in opening cellular compartments, issues like the formation of large aggregates still need to be addressed to improve gene expression.

In this article, Subbarayan et al. evaluate how the ACE2 receptor, used by SARS-CoV-2 to enter cells, affects immune responses in cancer. The authors find that tumor cells with high levels of ACE2 show increased activation of immune-related genes and molecules. These changes may influence how well cancer patients respond to immunotherapy, especially when infected with COVID-19. The study suggests that targeting the ACE2-related immune pathway could help reduce COVID-19 severity in patients with cancer.