The promising approach of MSCs therapy for COVID-19 treatment.

Several ongoing investigations have been founded on the development of an optimized therapeutic strategy for the COVID-19 virus as an undeniable acute challenge for human life. Cell-based therapy and particularly, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) therapy has obtained desired outcomes in decreasing the mortality rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2), mainly owing to its immunoregulatory impact that prevents the overactivation of the immune system. Also, these cells with their multipotent nature, are capable of repairing the damaged tissue of the lung which leads to reducing the probability of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Although this cell-based method is not quite cost-effective for developing countries, regarding its promising results in order to treat SARS-COV-2, more economical evaluation as well as clinical trials should be performed for improving this therapeutic approach. Here in this article, the functional mechanism of MSCs therapy for the treatment of COVID-19 and the clinical trials based on this method will be reviewed. Moreover, its economic efficiency will be discussed.

Effects of in vitro low oxygen tension preconditioning of buccal fat pad stem cells on in Vivo articular cartilage tissue repair.

AIMS: Progenitor cells-based regenerative strategy has shown promise to repair cartilage, an avascular tissue in which cells experience hypoxia. Hypoxia is known to improve the early chondrogenic differentiation of stem cells. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether hypoxia preconditioning could be used to enhance the regenerative potential of the combination of buccal fat pad stem cells (BFPSCs) and bilayer chitosan-based hydrogel scaffold for articular cartilage repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human BFPSCs were seeded on the bilayer chitosan-based hydrogel scaffolds in the culture medium. The viability and proliferation of cells on the scaffolds were monitored using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), MTT assay, and DAPI staining. Hypoxia preconditioned BFPSCs-seeded scaffolds were transplanted into rabbit articular cartilage knee defects for 12 weeks. The newly formed tissue was evaluated by cartilage-specific immunohistological analysis and histological staining. KEY FINDINGS: It was found that the chondrogenic differentiation and osteochondral conjunction in articular cartilage defect via BFPSCs-seeded bilayer scaffolds was enhanced by hypoxic preconditioning compared to a normoxic environment. SIGNIFICANCE: Based on our study, the integrity with subchondral bone in osteochondral defect was enhanced by BFPSCs on bilayer scaffold. Thus, this study provides evidence on the design of preconditioned cell-seeded bilayer hydrogels for articular cartilage regeneration.