C3 and COVID-19–associated multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: However, a stronger immune response has been observed in male MIS-C patients, characterized by higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, acute phase proteins (α-2M and CRP), growth factors (VEGF and TGFα), microbial translocation markers (iFABP, LBP, and EndoCAb), complement component (C1q, MBL and C3), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-8 and MMP-9) than in female MIS-C patients [21].