Cellular therapy: shafts of light emerging for COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented with debilitating respiratory consequences especially more pronounced in high risk individuals. Individuals with underlying systemic diseases are more prone and vulnerable to suffer severe consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. The pathophysiological changes identified cytokine storm mechanism for out setting the series of adverse clinical conditions. Thereby, associating it with high mortality rates. This warrants urgent consideration of divergent modalities such as the cellular therapy. Cellular therapy (CT) is a new medical paradigm wherein cellular material is administered to patients for therapeutic purposes. In this regard, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have yielded the most promising results among stromal vascular fraction (SVF); placental cells; natural killer (NK) cell and platelet lysate respectively. Following the administration of the CT as per preferred route, these play pivotal role in modifying the microenvironment of the lung tissue with their distinct sets of mechanism.Evidences have shown how their immunomodulatory action repairs and prevents lung injury which in turn improvise the compliance of lungs. In this review article we have discussed these emerging novel approaches and their target step serving as a ray of hope to combat severe form of COVID-19. Currently these aren't approved for preventing or treating COVID-19 cases, however clinical trials are afoot to dispense the utmost understanding in terms of efficacy and safety concerns.

Immunopathology and Immunosenescence, the Immunological Key Words of Severe COVID-19. Is There a Role for Stem Cell Transplantation?

“…Mesenchymal stem cells, also known as mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) ( Viswanathan et al, 2019 ), are heterogeneously multipotent stem cells that can be isolated from a variety of sources, including umbilical cord, human tissues like bone marrow and adipose tissue (using the stromal vascular fraction – SVF), and menstrual blood ( Blaber et al, 2012 ; Kallmeyer and Pepper, 2015 ; Elgaz et al, 2019 ; Copcu, 2020 ; Gentile and Sterodimas, 2020a , b ; Jeyaraman et al, 2020 ; Juárez-Navarro et al, 2020 ; Lin et al, 2020 ; Barros et al, 2021 ; Gentile, 2021 ; Mazini et al, 2021 ; Xu et al, 2021 ).…”

Current Understanding of Novel Coronavirus: Molecular Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment Approaches

“…Due to the drastic improvement in the field of molecular biology and translational science, cellular therapy has emerged as a potential option for combating COVID-19 [181]. Cellular therapy deals with the usage of autologous or allogenic pooled conditioned stored cells to treat the disease and to regenerate the damaged cells, tissues, or organs.…”

A Step Toward Optimizing Regenerative Medicine Principle to Combat COVID-19

“…43,49 Bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) can be derived from the iliac crest and should be subjected to centrifugation (3200 rpm for 15 minutes) to concentrate MSCs. 40,50 Autologous BM-MSCs avoid immunogenic reactions once administered. 51 Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) are found in abundance in the human body, which can be accessed easily.…”

“…57,58 They are delivered to produce the target action via direct delivery (aspirated stem cells are directed toward the injury site) and cell-based delivery (isolation, culture, and differentiation in media to exponentially increase their numbers before application at the injury site). 40,59,60 MSCs attenuate the generation of Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells by modulating the antigen-presenting function of dendritic cells in a cytokine-dependent manner. [61][62][63] MSCs render dendritic cells ineffective due to the decreased expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and costimulatory molecules.…”

“…[96][97][98][99] Under part 1271 and section 361, FDA laid the criteria for cellular therapy as minimally manipulated, involves homologous use, avoids combination of cells and tissues with any other substances, causes no systemic effect, is independent of cellular metabolism, and utilized for autologous and allogeneic use in first or second-degree relatives. 40…”