tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Front Immunol
. 2025 Jul 4:16:1594373.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1594373. eCollection 2025. The salvage therapy utilizing human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of critically ill patients with COVID-19
Weiqi Yao[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Boran Li[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 4 [/SUP], Yingan Jiang[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Qiaoyu Yuan[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Wenjie Wu[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Ruizhen Hou[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Qi Qi[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Haibo Dong[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Yun Zhang[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Yu Zhang[SUP] 1 2 3 8 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: The therapeutic options for patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are limited. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunomodulatory and regenerative properties that may inhibit excessive inflammatory responses, promote recovery from COVID-19-induced lung injury, and potentially serve as a therapeutic option.
Methods: An evaluation of the safety and efficacy of using human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) in 5 critically ill patients with COVID-19 was conducted in this study. In all patients, hUC-MSCs were administered intravenously three times at a dosage of 3 × 10[SUP]7[/SUP] cells per time, 2 days between each infusion. Safety was evaluated using adverse events. The efficacy was assessed by coagulation function (serum D dimer), inflammatory index (CRP and IL-6) and immune index (lymphocyte count, neutrophil count, CD4, CD19, and CD16 + 56), as well as chest computed tomography (CT) images. Post-infusion visits focused on oxygen saturation and progression of lung lesions.
Results: Infusions of hUC-MSCs were not associated with any serious adverse events. The CT scans indicate that lung lesions have been adequately controlled after receiving the hUC-MSCs. HUC-MSCs injection improved immune system function and alleviated inflammation.
Conclusions: According to our findings, intravenous infusion of hUC-MSCs has proven to be safe, and it has also proven to show potential therapeutic benefits for patients with severe COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19; human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells; inflammation; lung injury; therapeutic options.
. 2025 Jul 4:16:1594373.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1594373. eCollection 2025. The salvage therapy utilizing human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of critically ill patients with COVID-19
Weiqi Yao[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Boran Li[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 4 [/SUP], Yingan Jiang[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Qiaoyu Yuan[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Wenjie Wu[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Ruizhen Hou[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Qi Qi[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Haibo Dong[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Yun Zhang[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Yu Zhang[SUP] 1 2 3 8 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 40688075
- PMCID: PMC12271227
- DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1594373
Background: The therapeutic options for patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are limited. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunomodulatory and regenerative properties that may inhibit excessive inflammatory responses, promote recovery from COVID-19-induced lung injury, and potentially serve as a therapeutic option.
Methods: An evaluation of the safety and efficacy of using human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) in 5 critically ill patients with COVID-19 was conducted in this study. In all patients, hUC-MSCs were administered intravenously three times at a dosage of 3 × 10[SUP]7[/SUP] cells per time, 2 days between each infusion. Safety was evaluated using adverse events. The efficacy was assessed by coagulation function (serum D dimer), inflammatory index (CRP and IL-6) and immune index (lymphocyte count, neutrophil count, CD4, CD19, and CD16 + 56), as well as chest computed tomography (CT) images. Post-infusion visits focused on oxygen saturation and progression of lung lesions.
Results: Infusions of hUC-MSCs were not associated with any serious adverse events. The CT scans indicate that lung lesions have been adequately controlled after receiving the hUC-MSCs. HUC-MSCs injection improved immune system function and alleviated inflammation.
Conclusions: According to our findings, intravenous infusion of hUC-MSCs has proven to be safe, and it has also proven to show potential therapeutic benefits for patients with severe COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19; human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells; inflammation; lung injury; therapeutic options.