Relevant targets of the up-regulated miRNAs include several genes involved in antiviral innate immune response (e.g., IFNG, TLR3, TLR7, CCL4, CCL5), while down-regulated miRNAs target pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine genes (e.g., IL6, TNF, NFKB1, CXCL8, CXCL10, VEGFA), which are upregulated in severe COVID-19 patients and associated with mortality (5, 45, 46). Here, CXCL8 is linked to COVID-19.