However, infections by coronavirus (89, 91, 92) and other viruses such as influenza (74) generate deregulation in the lung protection pathway, which makes them highly lethal (89, 91, 92) since the binding of protein S to ACE2 decreases its expression, in addition to the probable decrease in expression due to glycosylation in hyperglycemic patients (11, 93, 94). The gene discussed is ACE2; the disease is infection.