Title:Expediting Molecular Translational Approach of Mesenchymal Stem Cells
in COVID-19 Treatment
Volume: 18
Issue: 5
Author(s): Vignesh Balaji Easwaran, Sairaj Satarker, Tanvi V Gujaran, Jeena John, Anuranjana Putiya Veedu, Krupa Thankam George, Divya Kunhi Purayil, Fathima Beegum, Anna Mathew, RJA Vibhavari, Sneha Sunil Chaudhari and K Sreedhara Ranganath Pai*
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal-576104, Karnataka, India
Keywords:
Mesenchymal stem cells, COVID-19, tissue regeneration, immunomodulation, cytokine storm, exosomes.
Abstract: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus
2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in late 2019 with severe respiratory failure and organ damage that later
appeared as a pandemic disease. Worldwide, people’s mental and physical health and socioeconomic
have been affected. Currently, with no promising treatment for COVID-19, the existing anti-viral drugs
and vaccines are the only hope to boost the host immune system to reduce morbidity and mortality rate.
Unfortunately, several reports show that people who are partially or fully vaccinated are still susceptible
to COVID-19 infection. Evidence suggests that COVID-19 immunopathology may include dysregulation
of macrophages and monocytes, reduced type 1 interferons (IFN-1), and enhanced cytokine storm that
results in hypersecretion of proinflammatory cytokines, capillary leak syndrome, intravascular coagulation,
and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) ultimately leading to the worsening of patient’s
condition and death in most cases. The recent use of cell-based therapies such as mesenchymal stem cells
(MSCs) for critically ill COVID-19 patients has been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) to alleviate cytokine release syndrome. It protects the alveolar epithelial cells by promoting immunomodulatory
action and secreting therapeutic exosomes to improve lung function and attenuate respiratory
failure. As a result, multiple clinical trials have been registered using MSCs that aim to use various
cell sources, and dosages to promote safety and efficacy against COVID-19 infection. In this review,
the possibility of using MSCs in COVID-19 treatment and its associated challenges in their use have been
briefly discussed.
