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At the Warsaw Ministry of Interior and Administration hospital, stem cell transplantation was performed in patients with severe respiratory failure caused by COVID-19. Administration of mesenchymal cells (MSCs) contained the cytokine storm and allowed time for the immune system to function properly.
A new method of COVID-19 treatment at the Ministry of Interior and Administration hospital
The study on patients with severely infected SARS CoV-2 is conducted at the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy of the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw, headed by Dr. Rafał Wójtowicz.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from Wharton’s jelly were administered intravenously to two patients, each twice. These are patients whose course of coronavirus pneumonia was so severe that the ventilator alone was no longer sufficient and additional methods of oxygen supply were needed.
MSC is a special population of cells that have specific immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties, and also support angiogenesis and alveolar epithelial repair – they reduce apoptosis and thus accelerate the regeneration of lung tissue.
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Almighty stem cells
– One of the advantages of cells derived from Wharton’s jelly is the lack of angiotensin convertase, an enzyme on the surface, which is the gateway to infection of cells with SARS-CoV-2 virus – explains Dr. Wójtowicz.
MSCs can help to contain the “cytokine storm”, an overreaction of the immune system that is very dangerous for a COVID-19 patient. In the course of such a “storm”, “inadequate” amounts of cytokines are thrown from various cells, which can lead to the death of the patient.
– Mesenchymal cells activate regulatory T cells and macrophages. Thereby, they prevent or reverse the immune system from over-activation, alleviating the course of SARS CoV-2 pneumonia. The high level of safety of such therapy should be emphasized – explains Dr. Wójtowicz.
Read also: Prof. Tomasiewicz on plasma therapy for convalescents: “Never will a blood product be a commonly used medicine”
Benefits of using MSCs in COVID-19 patients
Similar studies are conducted in the USA, China, Great Britain, France and Israel. The Warsaw study is carried out with the participation of the Polski Bank Komórek Macierzystych.
– The condition of the respiratory system in one of the patients improved after the administration of mesenchymal cells, but it is too early for final results. We are considering further applications, but today the number of patients with symptoms of respiratory failure in our hospital has definitely decreased. We have submitted an application to the Medical Research Agency with a study project that will allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of this therapy – Dr. Rafał Wójtowicz told Medexpress today.
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