In COVID-19 patients, the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, via p53, or its alternatives TGF-β1, or syntenin, drives apoptosis and ends with lung injury, which means that SARS-CoV-2 is likely to modulate the p38 MAPK signaling pathway to provoke the apoptosis and lung damage. The gene discussed is TGFB1; the disease is COVID-19.