ArticleCell research2021
Mesenchymal stem cell treatment improves outcome of COVID-19 patients via multiple immunomodulatory mechanisms.
Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph
Article in Cell research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 92 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.
0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
92citing papers in PubMed, 9 pooled it
18.6field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
92 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 153 citations in OpenAlex.
- Safety of intravascular administration of umbilical-cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.Stem cells translational medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of mesenchymal stem cells therapy in COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Journal of translational medicine · 2024Pooled it
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Mortality in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Stem cell reviews and reports · 2024Pooled it
- Safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells in COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Immunity, inflammation and disease · 2023Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells for COVID-19 pneumonia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Stem cell research & therapy · 2023Pooled it
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of cell therapy for COVID-19: global clinical trial landscape, published safety/efficacy outcomes, cell product manufacturing and clinical delivery.Frontiers in immunology · 2023Pooled it
- The clinical efficacy and safety of mesenchymal stromal cells for patients with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Journal of infection and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Updated Living Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Controlled Trials of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells to Treat COVID-19: A Framework for Accelerated Synthesis of Trial Evidence for Rapid Approval-FASTER Approval.Stem cells translational medicine · 2022Pooled it
- Safety and efficiency of stem cell therapy for COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Global health research and policy · 2022Pooled it
- Autologous Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells Modulate Immunity and the Microbiota in Very Preterm Twins: A Randomized Trial.Stem cell reviews and reports · 2026Trial
- Cellular immunotherapy for COVID-19-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome: Results of the CIRCA-19 phase 1 safety and phase 2 randomized controlled trials.Stem cell reports · 2026Trial
- Mesenchymal stromal cell therapy for COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome: a double-blind randomised controlled trial.Bone marrow transplantation · 2024Trial
- Allogenic mesenchymal stromal cells and their extracellular vesicles in COVID-19 induced ARDS: a randomized controlled trial.Stem cell research & therapy · 2023Trial
- Safety and long-term improvement of mesenchymal stromal cell infusion in critically COVID-19 patients: a randomized clinical trial.Stem cell research & therapy · 2022Trial
- Research progress of nucleocapsid protein of novel coronavirus: structure, function and targeted therapy.Archives of virology · 2026Review
- Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation alleviated TBI-induced lung injury by inhibiting PAD4-dependent NET formation.Journal of advanced research · 2026Article
- Harnessing MSCs plasticity: mechanisms and determinants of bidirectional immune regulation in stem-cell-based immunotherapy.Stem cell research & therapy · 2026Review
- Machine learning integration of bulk and single-cell RNA-Seq data reveals COPS2 as a central immune regulator in deep vein thrombosis.American journal of translational research · 2026Article
- Extracellular vesicles from long COVID patients promote RUNX2-mediated cellular stress via dysregulated miR-204 and p53 pathway activation.Cell communication and signaling : CCS · 2025Article
- From mitochondria to immune networks: new mesenchymal stem cell strategies to treat periodontitis.Stem cell research & therapy · 2025Review
32 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
52 authors at 20 institutions in 13 countries.
Rongjia Zhu *Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3165-2813
Tingdong Yan *School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
Yingmei Feng *You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5248-0155
Yan Liu *Puren Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Hongcui Cao *State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6604-6867
Gongxin Peng *Center for Bioinformatics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Yanlei YangDepartment of Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Zhen XuSchool of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
Jingqi LiuState Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Wei HouYou'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Xiaoyue WangCenter for Bioinformatics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Zhe LiSchool of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
Luchan DengInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Shihua WangInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Jing LiInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Qin HanInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Hongling LiInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Guangliang ShanInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Yinghao CaoCenter for Bioinformatics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Xingyan AnInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Jianshe YanSchool of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
Zhonghui ZhangSchool of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
Huafei LiSchool of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
Xuebin QuSchool of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
Jiaqi ZhuState Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Shumin ZhouSchool of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
Jiao WangSchool of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
Fengchun ZhangDepartment of Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Jinming GaoDepartment of Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Ronghua JinYou'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. jin_eagle@sina.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6035-2425
Dayong XuPuren Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Yan-Qing MaVersiti Blood Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI, USA. yma@versiti.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0573-7701
Tao HuangShanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
Shuang PengQingdao Walson Standard Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Qingdao, Shangdong, China.
Zhi ZhengInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Ilia StamblerInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Eric GilsonInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Lee Wei LimInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Alexey MoskalevInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3248-1633
Antonio CanoInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Sasanka ChakrabartiInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Brun UlfhakeInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Huanxing SuInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Haoying XuInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Sihuan XuPuren Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Feng WeiState Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials for Smart Sensing, GRINM GROUP Co, Ltd, Beijing, China.
Holly M Brown-BorgInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Kyung-Jin MinInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Georgina Ellison-HughesInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Calogero CarusoInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Kunlin JinInternational Society on Aging and Disease, Bryan, TX, USA.
Robert Chunhua ZhaoInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. zhaochunhua@vip.163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4609-8424
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College · CNShanghai University · CNCapital Medical University · CNWuhan University of Science and Technology · CNNational Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases · CNBar-Ilan University · ILCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique · FRDonghua University · CNGrinm Advanced Materials (China) · CNInha University · KRKarolinska University Hospital · SEKing's College London · GBMaharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana · INRussian Academy of Sciences · RUShanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health · CNUniversitat de València · ESUniversity of Hong Kong · HKUniversity of Macau · MOUniversity of North Dakota · USUniversity of North Texas · US
Funding
Medical Research Council MR/P026508/1
Abstract
The infusion of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) potentially improves clinical symptoms, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We conducted a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled (29 patients/group) phase II clinical trial to validate previous findings and explore the potential mechanisms. Patients treated with umbilical cord-derived MSCs exhibited a shorter hospital stay (P = 0.0198) and less time required for symptoms remission (P = 0.0194) than those who received placebo. Based on chest images, both severe and critical patients treated with MSCs showed improvement by day 7 (P = 0.0099) and day 21 (P = 0.0084). MSC-treated patients had fewer adverse events. MSC infusion reduced the levels of C-reactive protein, proinflammatory cytokines, and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and promoted the maintenance of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. To explore how MSCs modulate the immune system, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis on peripheral blood. Our analysis identified a novel subpopulation of VNN2
Indexed as
ImmunomodulationMesenchymal Stem Cell TransplantationAgedAnimalsAntibodies, ViralB-Lymphocyte SubsetsCOVID-19C-Reactive ProteinCytokinesCytoskeletal ProteinsDisease Models, AnimalExtracellular TrapsFemaleHumansLeukocytes, MononuclearMaleAntibodies, ViralC-Reactive ProteinCytokinesCytoskeletal Proteinskindlin-3 protein, mouse
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.