MAFB and COVID-19: Consequently, since MAFB-dependent genes are overexpressed in pathogenic pulmonary macrophages in severe COVID-19 (50) (Figure 1), these results suggest that SARS-CoV-2–regulated MAFB is responsible for the gene expression profile that characterizes pulmonary macrophages in severe COVID-19 (either M-MØ–like monocyte-derived or GM-MØ–like lung resident macrophages).