Several data support the involvement of an increased activity of ADAM17 in both COVID-19`s comorbidities and SARS-CoV-2 infection: i) increased plasma levels of ACE2 soluble form (sACE2) with age in men (40, 41); ii) higher expression levels of sACE2 in men, with heart failure, than woman as a consequence of increased ADAM17 activity (67); and iii) higher ACE2 level expression and up-regulated activity of ADAM17 in patients with chronic pulmonary inflammation (54), COPD (41, 80), diabetes (82, 83) and renal diseases (86). This evidence concerns the gene ADAM17 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.