AUTHOR=Xu Zhiheng , Huang Yongbo , Zhou Jianmeng , Deng Xiumei , He Weiqun , Liu Xiaoqing , Li Yimin , Zhong Nanshan , Sang Ling 

TITLE=Current Status of Cell-Based Therapies for COVID-19: Evidence From Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Sepsis and ARDS

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.738697

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2021.738697

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=The severe respiratory consequences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have prompted urgent need for novel therapies. Cell-based therapies, primarily using mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), have been demonstrated safety and possible efficacy in critical illness, particularly in sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, limited pre-clinical data with MSCs was found in COVID-19. Recent studies have shown that MSCs could decrease inflammation, improve lung permeability, enhance microbe and alveolar fluid clearance, promote lung epithelial and endothelial repair. In addition, MSC-based therapy has shown promising effects in preclinical studies and phase 1 clinical trials in sepsis and ARDS. Here, we review recent advances related to the MSC-based therapy in context of sepsis and ARDS and evaluate the potential value of MSCs as therapeutic strategy for COVID-19.