Stem cells may give a respite to COVID-19 infected

Mini Tejaswi

MARCH 23, 2020 22:31 IST

UPDATED: MARCH 23, 2020 22:31 IST

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It's tough to approach ICMR with novel such ideas: research outfit Advancells

While stem cell treatment is not a technique to eradicate or fix coronavirus completely, there is proof to help the idea that infected patients, under the treatment, might be more receptive to survive the disease.

That's because, stem cells oppose viral infection due to the presence of specific qualities known as interferon gamma invigorated qualities (ISGs). These are present in stem cells before their separation process happens. Thus, stem cells can be expected to survive even if they are transferred into a patient with confirmed infection of coronavirus, as per Vipul Jain, CEO, Advancells, a research firm focusing on therapeutic applications of regenerative medicine.

Mr Jain said, “Even medical science has determined how influenza virus A/H5N1, with a history of causing intense lung injury, was destroyed by human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in a mouse. Going back to basics has only expanded the chances of positive outcome.''

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are those stem cells which can separate into an assortment of cell types. There are several other properties of MSCs which make them suitable for clinical trials, such as they have ability to reduce inflammation thus regulating the immune system back to healthy and an extraordinary capacity to find the damaged tissues in human body. They can even speed up the recovery of those damaged tissues.

For instance, to achieve desired outcome, specialists have used enormous quantities of MSCs with one patient in Baoshan (Yunnan) who got 3 implantations of 50 million umbilical blood cord derived MSCs, while every Beijing patients got 1 mixture of 1 million cells for every kilogram of weight.

According to Advancells observations, MSCs can be acquired from fat, which implies that everybody can use his/her cells, abolishing any contamination or fatalities. In any case, extending them to the amount required for implantation, takes 2 to 3 weeks which is why it is valuable to cryo-conserve (process of preserving cells prone to damage) an individual reservoir of MSCs, that would permit to get to an early and progressively beneficial treatment.

It may be noted that, some 14 trials have been conducted using stem cells to treat coronavirus patients in China. They recommended stem cells may be the option to fix the extreme organ damage brought about by the virus.

“MSCs can lessen the overproduction of immunity cells caused as a response to the virus and lower down the levels of inflammatory substances. Thus, bringing the weak framework and the whole body back to its ordinary state,'' Mr. Jain said.

What can be securely said at this stage following this spearheading study, as per Advancells, is that MSCs demonstrate extraordinary potential to turn into an important part of eradicating something so huge coronavirus itself.

Commenting on India scenario, he further said, “Sadly, India is slow in terms of awareness, also it is tough to convince ICMR with innovative ideas. China had used it and all patients who have gone for stem cell therapy were recovered. Israel just announced they would start a stem cell pilot for treating coronavirus.”

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