Could mesenchymal stem cells be the cure for COVID-19 pneumonia?

Could mesenchymal stem cells be the cure for COVID-19 pneumonia?

Beyond their potential to differentiate into healthy and functional cells in the diseased tissue environment, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can show positive properties such as "paracrine" immunomodulation, anti-inflammation and antioxidative effects, and with these properties, they show promise for the treatment of many diseases. It is thought that the process called cytokine storm together with the increased inflammatory response plays a role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 disease. According to the results of the clinical study published in the journal Aging and Disease, no adverse effects related to the application are reported in COVID-19 patients who underwent MSC [1]. In addition, it has been reported that the application of MSCs leads to an improvement in the number of inflammatory cells and cytokine levels, together with an improvement in clinical outcomes. According to the gene expression analyzes of the stem cells used in the treatment, it was observed that the cells were not infected with the COVID-19 virus after the application. Although the results of the study show promise in the treatment of COVID-19 patients with MSC applications, the small number of patients, insufficient follow-up time and deficiencies in the study design appear as important limitations of the study. Further studies are needed to reach clear conclusions about the efficacy and safety of MSC applications in the treatment of COVID-19 disease [2].

[1] Leng Z, vd. Transplantation of ACE2- Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improves the Outcome of Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia. [J]. Aging and Disease. 2020, 11 (2): 216-228. DOI: 10.14336/AD.2020.0228 <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7069465/>

[2] Selçuk Öztürk, Ayse Eser Elçin, Yasar Murat Elçin. Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Coronavirus (COVID-19)-Induced Pneumonia: Revisiting the Paracrine Hypothesis with New Hopes? [J]. Aging and Disease, DOI: 10.14336/AD.2020.0403 <http://www.aginganddisease.org/EN/10.14336/AD.2020.0403>