CXCL8 and COVID-19: Additionally, ACE1 is well-known to be the major vascular peptidase of bradykinin, an abundant peptide which promotes vasodilatation, vascular permeability, and liberation of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha) implicated in the cytokine storm associated with the severe forms of COVID-19 [15].