Post-COVID pulmonary fibrosis: therapeutic efficacy using with mesenchymal stem cells - How the lung heals

Abstract

COVID-19 is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by SARS-COV 2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus) that has become a global pandemic. COVID-19 mainly causes the respiratory complications of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), cytokine storm, and severe immune disruptions. The assays depict that though people recuperate from COVID-19, there are still symptoms that persists in the body causing discomfort, which is the consequence of the viral infection due to severe immune disruptions. Upon various difficulties of post COVID-19, the pulmonary fibrosis is the stumbling block in the lungs causing severe damage. In this review, we have shown the effectiveness and importance of the Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) secreted by Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) therapy on selective stoppage of the Transforming Growth Factor-Beta (TGF-β) signalling pathway by causing immunomodulatory effects that ameliorate the pulmonary fibrosis through paracrine signalling. However, more pilot studies have to be carried out to determine the efficacy and outcomes of the re-emerging complication.