We found that the male-biased genes identified in squamous (including TAB3, TGFB2, and IL18) from nasal samples and in monocyte cells (TLR7, BTK, and CXCL8) from PBMC samples are significantly enriched in the cytokines and growth factors and TLR pathway (Figs. 2c, 3, 4c, and 5), revealing that male-elevated pro-inflammation was associated with disease severity of COVID-19. The gene discussed is IL18; the disease is COVID-19.