Mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of coronavirus-induced pneumonia (COVID-19)

Dear Editor,

Stem cell therapy has been investigated by a number of basic, pre-clinical and clinical studies, and these studies have proved that stem cells are safe and effective in the treatment of many medical conditions and diseases.(¹-⁴) A study including 10 patients with confirmed diagnosis for coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), and pneumonia due to infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), reported significant improvement in symptoms of all patients treated with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with no adverse effects. Of these patients, 7 were treated with intravenous concentration of 1x10⁶ cells per kilogram of body weight and 3 were treated with placebo. Patients were followed-up for 14 days. Results observed included a significant reduction of chest infiltration, reduction of proinflammatory cytocines including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and an increase of peripheral lymphocytes rate with phenotype recovering of CD4⁺ T cell count and dendritic. In addition, an increase was observed of anti-inflammatory gene expression and trophic factors.(⁵) Although further studies including more patients are warranted, data published in the literature so far suggest that MSCs is safe and effective for treatment in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.(⁵)

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000029990).

REFERENCES

• ¹
  Alessandrini M, Preynat-Seauve O, De Bruin K, Pepper MS. Stem cell therapy for neurological disorders. S Afr Med J. 2019;109(8b):70-7. Review.
• ²
  Doyle EC, Wragg NM, Wilson SL. Intraarticular injection of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells enhances regeneration in knee osteoarthritis. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2020 Jan 31. doi: 10.1007/s00167-020-05859-z. [Epub ahead of print] Review.
  » https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-020-05859-z
• ³
  Hostettler KE, Gazdhar A, Khan P, Savic S, Tamo L, Lardinois D, et al. Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells in lung fibrosis. PLoS One. 2017;12(8):e0181946. Erratum in: PLoS One. 2018;13(1):e0191144.
• ⁴
  Maranda EL, Rodriguez-Menocal L, Badiavas EV. Role of mesenchymal stem cells in dermal repair in burns and diabetic wounds. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther. 2017;12(1):61-70. Review.
• ⁵
  Leng Z, Zhu R, Hou W, Feng Y, Yang Y, Han Q, et al. Transplantation of ACE2(-)mesenchymal stem cells improves the outcome of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Aging Dis. 2020;11(2):216-28.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  28 Aug 2020
• Date of issue
  2020

History

• Received
  28 Apr 2020
• Accepted
  29 June 2020