An overview of the recent findings of cell-based therapies for the treatment and management of COVID-19

• Published in: International immunopharmacology Vol. 101; no. Pt B; p. 108226
• Main Authors: Ghaffari, Sasan, Kazerooni, Hanif, Salehi-Najafabadi, Amir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.12.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: ACE2; Adoptive immunotherapy; Angiotensin; Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; Animals; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - immunology; COVID-19 - therapy; Disease transmission; Humans; Immune response; Immune system; Immunopathogenesis; Immunotherapy; Pandemics; Peptidyl-dipeptidase A; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory distress syndrome; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; T cell; Vaccine; Vaccines; Viral diseases; Viruses; T cell; Adoptive immunotherapy; iPSC; SARS; Vaccine; COVID-19; ACE2; SARS-CoV-2; CAR; GM-CSF; VST; NK cell; CTL; MSC; HLA; ARDS; DC
• ISSN: 1567-5769; 1878-1705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108226

•DC vaccines are manufactured to present immune cells with virus antigens.•VSTs and NK cells are isolated, expanded, and infused into COVID-19 patients.•CARs against SARS-CoV-2 are transduced into immune cells as a treatment option.•MSCs possess excellent immunomodulatory and regenerative effects for ARDS.•T cell and MSC exosomes as an advantageous, HLA-independent treatment. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global pandemic taking the lives of millions. The virus itself not only invades and destroys the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-expressing cells of the lungs, kidneys, liver, etc. but also elicits a hyperinflammatory immune response, further damaging the tissue leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and death. Although vaccines, as a prime example of active immunotherapy, have clearly disrupted the transmission of virus and reduced mortality, hospitalization, and burden of disease, other avenues of immunotherapy are also being explored. One such approach would be to adoptively transfer modified/unmodified immune cells to the critically ill. Here, we compiled and summarized the immunopathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 and the recent preclinical and clinical data on the potential of cell-based therapies in the fight against COVID-19.