However, others have speculated [23] that during viral infections when ISGs are stimulated, dACE2 may act as a dummy receptor for other ACE2 ligands (e.g., microRNA-200c-3p) that if bound to ACE2 would lead to internalization of the ACE2-ligand complex and functional depletion of ACE2. Thus, dACE2 may keep ACE2 levels high during infection. Here, ACE2 is linked to infection.