Table 1 Stem cells for COVID-19 therapy
From: When stem cells meet COVID-19: recent advances, challenges and future perspectives
Stem cell sources | Study design | Population | Key findings | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BMSCs (allogeneic) | Pilot study | 7 COVID-19 Patients (1 Critically severe, 4 severe, 2 common type) | The peripheral lymphocytes were increased, the C-reactive protein decreased, and the overactivated cytokine-secreting immune cells CXCR3+CD4+ T cells, CXCR3+CD8+ T cells, and CXCR3+ NK cells disappeared in 3–6 days | Leng et al. [57] |
hUC-MSCs (allogeneic) | Case report | 65-year-old COVID-19 patient with severe pneumonia,respiratory failure and multiorgan failure | Vital signs stabilized, not dependent on ventilator. After the infusion patient was negative for the virus on throat swabs after 2Â days | Alturi et al. [58] |
hUC-MSCs (allogeneic) | Phase I clinical trial | 18 COVID-19 moderate and severe ill | The PaO2/FiO2 ratio improved; Lung lesions of patients were well controlled within 6Â days, and completely disappeared within 2Â weeks | Wang et al. [59] |
hUC-MSCs (allogeneic) | Case report | 12 COVID-19 critically ill | Clinical symptoms, including weakness and fatigue, shortness of breath, and low oxygen saturation were improved | Shu et al. [60] |
hUC-MSCs (allogeneic) | Case report | 66-year old female | Absolute lymphocyte count was improved after twice administration of convalescent plasma and no infusion or allergic reactions were seen after hUC-MSC administration | Peng et al. [61] |
hUC-MSCs (allogeneic) | Case report | 65-year-old critically-ill woman | The T-cell ounts normalized and initial therapy of α-thymosin when combined with hUCMSCs greatly reduced the inflammation | Liang et al. [62] |
human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly-derived MSCs (hWJCs) (allogeneic) | Case report | Critically ill 54-year old male patient having cough, fever and tightness of chest from 4 days | After treatment, the percentage and counts of lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cell) were increased, and the level of IL-6, TNF-α, and C-reactive protein is significantly decreased after hWJC treatment | Zhang et al. [63] |
AT-MSCs (allogeneic) | Case report | 13 severe COVID-19 pneumonia patients | Administration of AT-MSCs reduced the levels of inflammatory markers C-reactive protein, IL-6, ferritin, LDH and D-dimer, and increased the lymphocyte counts | Sanchez-Guijo et al. [64] |
MenSCs (allogeneic) | Case report | 2 confirmed cases of COVID-19 | MenSC transplantation increased the number of CD4+ lymphocytes and decreased the expression of inflammatory markers. After transplant treatment, both the SAO2 and PO2 improved, and chest CTs showed the adsorption of bilateral pulmonary exudates | Tang et al. [66] |
Immune-and-matrix- regulatory cells (IMRCs) (Allogeneic) | Phase 1 clinical trial | 27 COVID-19 patients who demonstrated pulmonary fibrosis pathology | The pulmonary fibrotic lesions were significantly reduced, and the haematological and clinical chemical parameters remained within the normal range; No tumour markers were detected in the serum | Wu et al. [67] |
Cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) (allogeneic) | Case series | 6 critically ill COVID-19 patients (age range of 19–75 years) | All patients survived with 4 discharged and 1 still on respiratory support compared to 18% mortality in control group. Results were well correlated with diminished levels of ferritin and absolute lymphocyte counts, still suggesting the role of cell-based therapies in modifying the immune responses | Singh et al. [69] |
Exosomes derived from BMMSCs (allogeneic) | Prospective nonblinded nonrandomized primary safety trial | 24 COVID-19 Patients (18–85 years) | Significant reduction in absolute neutrophil count (p-value < 0.001) with alleviated levels of acute phase reactants, C-reactive protein, downregulating cytokine storm and restoring immunity again implying a key action on immune functions | Sengupta et al. [72] |