Fostering mesenchymal stem cell therapy to halt cytokine storm in COVID-19

Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2021 Feb 1;1867(2):166014. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.166014. Epub 2020 Nov 22.

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been threatening the globe since the end of November 2019. The disease revealed cracks in the health care system as health care providers across the world were left without guidelines on definitive usage of pharmaceutical agents or vaccines. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on the 11th of March 2020. Individuals with underlying systemic disorders have reported complications, such as cytokine storms, when infected with the virus. As the number of positive cases and the death toll across the globe continue to rise, various researchers have turned to cell based therapy using stem cells to combat COVID-19. The field of stem cells and regenerative medicine has provided a paradigm shift in treating a disease with minimally invasive techniques that provides maximal clinical and functional outcome for patients. With the available evidence of immunomodulatory and immune-privilege actions, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can repair, regenerate and remodulate the native homeostasis of pulmonary parenchyma with improved pulmonary compliance. This article revolves around the usage of novel MSCs therapy for combating COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Mesenchymal stem cells; WHO.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / epidemiology*
  • COVID-19 / immunology
  • COVID-19 / pathology
  • COVID-19 / therapy*
  • Cytokine Release Syndrome / epidemiology
  • Cytokine Release Syndrome / immunology
  • Cytokine Release Syndrome / pathology
  • Cytokine Release Syndrome / therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / immunology*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / pathology
  • Pandemics*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*