HGF and pulmonary fibrosis: Among the identified proteins, we found elevated systemic levels of remodeling proteins decorin (DCN), tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 12A (TNFRSF12A) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and chemoattractant factors MCP-3 and CXCL13 in pre-vaccine plasma samples from COVID-19 patients, which supports previous findings of these molecules in patients with IPF and pulmonary fibrosis post COVID-19 [20,21,22,23,24].