Cell therapy strategies for COVID-19: Current approaches and potential applications

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to burden society worldwide. Despite most patients having a mild course, severe presentations have limited treatment options. COVID-19 manifestations extend beyond the lungs and may affect the cardiovascular, nervous, and other organ systems. Current treatments are nonspecific and do not address potential long-term consequences such as pulmonary fibrosis, demyelination, and ischemic organ damage. Cell therapies offer great potential in treating severe COVID-19 presentations due to their customizability and regenerative function. This review summarizes COVID-19 pathogenesis, respective areas where cell therapies have potential, and the ongoing 89 cell therapy trials in COVID-19 as of 1 January 2021.

Quantitative Analysis of Factors Regulating Angiogenesis for Stem Cell Therapy

“…Long-term consequences such as pulmonary fibrosis, demyelination, and ischemic organ damage are not addressed. Cell therapy is thought to offer great potential for treating severe COVID-19 symptoms due to its customizability and regenerative function [ 46 ]. Currently, preclinical and clinical cell therapy trials are under way regarding the immunomodulatory ability of mesenchymal stem cells for COVID-19-related lung injury treatment and the mitigation of hyperimmune response.…”

Latest Insights on the Diagnostic Approaches and Treatment Strategies of COVID-19

“…Cell therapies have demonstrated efficacy in treating conditions that were previously difficult to manage with conventional treatment modalities, including neurodegenerative, oncologic, and immunological disorders. Numerous cell therapy approaches have been studied such as induced pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, and T cells [ 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 ]. In a variety of indications, safety and efficacy results of cell therapy have suggested that cell therapy may be exploited to treat COVID-19 patients [ 100 ].…”

“…Numerous cell therapy approaches have been studied such as induced pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, and T cells [ 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 ]. In a variety of indications, safety and efficacy results of cell therapy have suggested that cell therapy may be exploited to treat COVID-19 patients [ 100 ]. As of 1 January 2021, clinicaltrials.gov listed several cell therapy-based clinical trials targeting COVID-19 pathology.…”

“…Mesenchymal stromal cells account for approximately 71% of the cells used in cell therapy clinical trials, with the remainder consisting of natural killer cells, T cells, and early apoptotic cells. Approximately 88% of the clinical trials are nowadays in phases 1 and 2, with only one trial in phase 2/3 and one in phase 3 [ 100 , 104 ].…”

An overview of the recent findings of cell-based therapies for the treatment and management of COVID-19

“…HIV) [21] , and refractory viral infections in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients [22] , [23] . There is currently no gold-standard and definitive treatment for COVID-19, and considering its urgency, it has prompted scientists from all fields to investigate this problem, engendering a wide range of potential therapeutic options [24] ( Table 1 ). Advances in adoptive cell therapy have engendered an off-branch of cell therapy which, unlike conventional acellular vaccines, uses primed cells as vaccines, such as DC-based vaccines [25] .…”