The findings were supported by a panel of clinical and basic investigations showing that complement activation plays important roles in the pathogenesis of COVID-19, and thus, complement may serve as a driver of and therapeutic target for SARS-CoV-2.43–45 Both the S and N proteins of SARS-CoV-2 were observed to be directly recognized by components of the LP, leading to complement activation.21,46 Accordingly, the complement components involved in the LP (MBL, MASP-2, C3, and C5b-9) were increased in lung tissue from COVID-19 patients (Fig. 5d). This evidence concerns the gene C3 and COVID-19.