ANGPT1 and COVID-19: With respect to COVID-19 pathophysiology, because the SARS-CoV-2 virus infects endothelial cells using ACE2 as a binding receptor and triggers internalization of ACE2, the normal catabolism of Ang II to Ang1–7/Ang1–9 in the vascular compartment is inhibited during infection with this virus [72,73].