Post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis: the rationale of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for lung regeneration

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused nearly 15 million deaths worldwide. The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines and anti-viral drugs significantly decreased the level of mortality related to COVID-19. However, post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis has become a severe problem for some COVID-19 patients. The previous articles present the results of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation to treat COVID-19 patients; in this article, we would like to discuss the potential of MSC transplantation to treat and improve post- COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis. MSCs exhibit immune modulation and anti-inflammation that can control the inflammation caused by coronavirus 2 infection and the cytokine storm that some patients experience during COVID-19. The anti-fibrotic qualities of MSCs have also been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. Based on the current information about the anti-fibrotic effects of MSCs, MSC transplantation can be used to improve post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis.