STAT3 and COVID-19: HGF gene plays a vital role in countering inflammation and promoting lung tissue repair in severe COVID-19 cases. HGF, a pleiotropic cytokine produced by mesenchymal cells and macrophages, is crucial for preventing lung fibrosis by reducing apoptosis of lung epithelial and endothelial cells. It does so by activating pathways like ERK/MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and STAT3, which support cell survival and tissue regeneration (Perreau et al., 2021)