Can mesenchymal stem cells be used to treat COVID-19-induced pneumonia? (Review).

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) which has resulted in the COVID-19 pandemic, infection by which is commonly characterized by a sore throat, fever and cough, was first reported in Wuhan, China on 31st December 2019. This novel disease is mild in certain individuals, usually younger healthy individuals, whereas the elder and those with underlying health conditions develop severe symptoms and may die as a result of the disease or associated complications. Along with pneumonia, hypercytokinemia, also termed a cytokine storm, is one of the most common pathologies observed in patients with COVID-19. As patients react to the infection with the virus differently; in certain individuals, a cytokine storm may result in death. At present, there is no cure or widely available vaccine for the novel coronavirus. However, it has been hypothesized that mesenchymal stem cells may assist in the treatment/management of the cytokine storm due to their immunomodulating properties.