Some good news on the Covid treatment front. Cytokine therapy trials, for mild and moderate symptoms in asymptomatic individuals and early-stage symptomatic Covid-19 infections, will begin from Monday. Though approvals are awaited, doctors are optimistic
Starting Monday, HCG Cancer Centre will start conducting cytokine therapy trial on humans, which can treat patients with mild to moderate Covid-19 infection. Cytokines are cell signalling molecules that activate immune response and direct movement of cells towards the infection/inflammation site. The therapy involves injecting this cocktail of chemicals into patients with compromised immune systems. Doctors expect the cytokines to activate the immune response in Covid-19 patients. At least 10 people have volunteered and pre-screening is currently going on at HCG. Dr US Vishal Rao, regional director of head and neck surgical oncology and robotic surgery, HCG Cancer Centre, explains the mechanics of the therapy.
Why cytokines? How do they help?We found that children with immature immune system recover very well from Covid-19 infection and tend to have milder symptoms; but those in the 65+ age bracket with a more mature immune system are at higher risk. A logical explanation to this could be the active thymus gland which is well developed in children in the mothers womb itself and gets active soon after birth. In the age group 65-plus, the thymus has degenerated.
Most people who are dying (due to Covid-19) are dying between the 8th and the 27th day (of the infection). This is because in the initial days the body has some reserve cells to fight the virus (innate immunity).
But by the 5th to 7th day, they need to start recruiting new people in this fight, for which they need the thymus. But in the 65+ age group, the thymus degenerates because the body says I have seen all the viruses I need to. So we went back to our labs and started finding out how to activate this immunity (active immunity).
Dr Jyothsna, who has worked with a Nobel Prize winner and has had a great experience with Rockefeller, and Dr Gururaj, a cell biologist with immense knowledge of these procedures, are working on this cytokine therapy.
How do you extract cytokines?We take 2ml of blood from healthy individuals and get a buffy coat (the froth generated when the blood is spun at a high velocity) full of thymic cells. We take the buffy coat and identify the specific thymus cells which are active in the immune system. We then simulate a virus attack on these cells in the laboratory. Due to this, the cells start secreting these special hormones called cytokines.
What next?There are four to five cytokines and one among them is the interferon. The word interferon means to interfere; so, when a cell is dying due to the virus, it releases interferons which are called messenger proteins. These messenger proteins quickly reach out to the neighbouring cells and inform them that there is an impending viral attack, so please get prepared.
When this happens, several other cells start getting ready with the anti-viral engine in their own blood cell machinery which will kill the virus, whenever it infects this cell.
So what did you create?We created a concoction of cytokines which we believe will reactivate the immune system completely when the virus is about to enter and attack (the system) and not at the terminal stage.
Who all can benefit from this therapy?It can be given to a Covid-19 patients primary contacts, or someone who is developing cough or cold (due to the infection). If you inject the cytokines, their immune system will be reactivated to such a level that when the virus attacks, their body will be prepared significantly to fight back. What we have done is given the body a special power to kill the virus.
How is it different from a vaccine?Vaccines prevent normal individuals from contracting the virus. Here we are trying to help people infected by the virus to kill the virus by reactivating the immune system. Will this therapy prevent viral infection again? We still do not know.The experiment on animals is successful. We wanted to see whether the animal was going to get a cytokine storm.
Cytokine storm? Whats that?Covid-19 patients who are terminally ill go through a storm, where the immune system becomes hyperactive. At this juncture, if interferons were to be given when the person is dying, the system is already releasing so many immune cells and the cells are fighting and there are multiple reactions happening. This is when the immune system gets frustrated. Then, these interferons which went to contact the thymus cells are getting surplus of the immunity and that is when it starts a storm.
In the second stage - a stage of severe illness we need to prepare the patient with plasma when the patient shows breathlessness and is not on a ventilator.
In the last stepwhen the person is on the ventilator we believe the mesenchymal stem cells are one of the best therapy and China has already given results and we are waiting for the approvals. They are doing it in the US too.
Here is the original post:
We now have a special power to kill the virus - Bangalore Mirror
- Mesenchymal stem cell based therapies for uveitis: a systematic review of preclinical studies | Eye - Nature.com - April 10th, 2024
- Development of exosome therapy to treat inflammatory bowel disease by VesiCURE Therapeutics - StreetInsider.com - April 10th, 2024
- Adipose Derived Stem Cell Therapy Market Will Show the Highest Growth Rates, Incredible Demand by 2031 - WhaTech - April 3rd, 2024
- Injectable microspheres adhering to the cartilage matrix promote rapid reconstruction of partial-thickness cartilage defects - ScienceDirect.com - March 30th, 2024
- Safety and Potential Effect of Intrauterine Infusion of Autologous Adipose Tissue-Derived Regenerative Cells in ... - Cureus - March 30th, 2024
- Instructing iPS cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells to inhibit abnormal bone formation in FOP - Medical Xpress - March 28th, 2024
- Clinical application of mesenchymal stem cell in regenerative medicine ... - March 22nd, 2024
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells: The Past Present and Future - March 22nd, 2024
- CytoMed Diversifies into Regenerative Medicine after Research Collaboration with Singapore's Sengkang General ... - Yahoo Finance - March 20th, 2024
- Overexpression of Wnt5a promoted the protective effect of mesenchymal stem cells on Lipopolysaccharide-induced ... - BMC Infectious Diseases - March 20th, 2024
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells: What We Have Learned and How to Manage Them - MDPI - March 17th, 2024
- Mesenchymal stem cells and their microenvironment - March 17th, 2024
- Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells as a valuable source for the treatment ... - March 17th, 2024
- Proteomic characterization of hUC-MSC extracellular vesicles and evaluation of its therapeutic potential to treat ... - Nature.com - March 13th, 2024
- The impact understanding of exosome therapy in COVID-19 and preparations for the future approaches in dealing with ... - Nature.com - March 13th, 2024
- CytoMed Therapeutics Limited Announces Research Collaboration with Singapore Sengkang General Hospital to ... - Yahoo Finance UK - March 7th, 2024
- CytoMed Therapeutics Limited Announces Research Collaboration with Singapore Sengkang General Hospital to ... - Yahoo Finance - March 6th, 2024
- Combatting osteoarthritis with cartilage replacement therapy - Drug Target Review - March 3rd, 2024
- Ethical considerations in Stem Cell therapy for ALS - Cyprus Mail - February 27th, 2024
- Therapeutic Solutions International Files Patent on Facilitating Effects of JadiCells on Gene Therapy Mediated Cell ... - Business Wire - February 27th, 2024
- Stem Cell Therapy for Ulcerative Colitis - Health Central - February 27th, 2024
- Expanding the Horizons of Cell and Gene Therapy - RegMedNet - February 24th, 2024
- Early differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells is reflected in their dielectrophoretic behavior | Scientific Reports - Nature.com - February 22nd, 2024
- Orthopaedics Department's Regenerative Research Highlighted at ORS Annual Meeting - InventUM - University of Miami - February 20th, 2024
- Cellular uptake and in vivo distribution of mesenchymal-stem-cell-derived extracellular vesicles are protein corona ... - Nature.com - February 18th, 2024
- New University spin-out developing novel adult stem cell-based Therapies - News - University of Liverpool - News - February 15th, 2024
- Examining the potential of the common bovine as a potential therapeutic research model - Medical Xpress - February 15th, 2024
- Intentional Interference: Genetic Engineering Medium Aids The Transfection Of MSCs With siRNA - BioProcess Online - February 15th, 2024
- Cellular senescence is associated with osteonecrosis of the femoral head while mesenchymal stem cell conditioned ... - Nature.com - February 9th, 2024
- Stem Cell Therapy for Crohns Disease Shows Promising Results - RegMedNet - February 9th, 2024
- Targeted transcriptomic analysis of synovial tissues from horses with septic arthritis treated with immune-activated ... - American Veterinary Medical... - February 7th, 2024
- Mesenchymal Stem Cell Immunomodulation: Mechanisms and ... - Cell Press - February 7th, 2024
- New Cell Therapy for ARDS: A Groundbreaking Development and Other Respiratory Health Breakthroughs - Medriva - February 7th, 2024
- Effective treatment of optic neuropathies by intraocular delivery of MSC-sEVs through augmenting the G-CSF ... - pnas.org - January 31st, 2024
- Global Stem Cell Therapy Industry Outlook to 2028, Driven by Therapeutic Innovations and Clinical Advancements ... - Yahoo Finance - January 29th, 2024
- Out-of-this-world study will test how stem cells function in space - YP - January 29th, 2024
- The Applications of Cell Therapy - Technology Networks - January 26th, 2024
- STEM CELL THERAPY FOR MS COST: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW? - Island Echo - January 24th, 2024
- Understanding Neuromyelitis Optica: Role of NF-B and Therapeutic Potential - Medriva - January 20th, 2024
- Faculty member Arnold Caplan passes away The Daily The Daily - The Daily | Case Western Reserve University - January 18th, 2024
- Effects of fine particulate matter on bone marrow-conserved hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells: a systematic ... - Nature.com - January 11th, 2024
- Expression of HLA-DR by mesenchymal stromal cells in the platelet lysate era: an obsolete release criterion for MSCs ... - Journal of Translational... - January 11th, 2024
- NurOwn and its exosomes for ALS given patents in Europe, elsewhere - ALS News Today - January 8th, 2024
- Single-cell analysis reveals the stromal dynamics and tumor-specific characteristics in the microenvironment of ovarian ... - Nature.com - January 8th, 2024
- First in Class Combination Stem Cell and Exosome Therapy to Treat Pulmonary Fibrosis in Long Haul Covid Patients ... - Yahoo Finance - January 4th, 2024
- Choosing the Right Excipients for MSC and iPSC Therapies - Pharmaceutical Technology Magazine - January 4th, 2024
- Mitochondria Transplantation Therapy It's Farther Along Than You Think - BioProcess Online - January 2nd, 2024
- Embryonic-stem-cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells relieve experimental contact urticaria by regulating the functions ... - Nature.com - December 21st, 2023
- Type I collagen and fibromodulin enhance the tenogenic phenotype of hASCs and their potential for tendon ... - Nature.com - December 19th, 2023
- Could the 'central dogma' of biology be misleading bioengineers? - Phys.org - December 13th, 2023
- The Risks of Stem Cell and Exosome Treatments for Long COVID: A Call for Stricter Regulations - Medriva - December 13th, 2023
- Mesenchymal stem cells from biology to therapy - PMC - December 11th, 2023
- The Safety and Efficacy of Human Umbilical Cord-Derived ... - Cureus - December 5th, 2023
- The pivotal role of Nrf2 signal axis in IDD | JIR - Dove Medical Press - December 5th, 2023
- Futuristic Novel Therapeutic Approaches in the Treatment of ... - Cureus - December 3rd, 2023
- Cartilage's Contribution in Otology: A Comprehensive Review of Its ... - Cureus - December 3rd, 2023
- Mesenchymal stem or stromal cells: a review of clinical applications ... - November 29th, 2023
- Comparative evaluation of 3D-printed and conventional implants in ... - Nature.com - November 29th, 2023
- Expression of E-cadherin and N-cadherin in Epithelial-to ... - Cureus - November 29th, 2023
- Enhancing the immunosuppressive properties of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells - Phys.org - November 29th, 2023
- 'Great Potential' in Stem Cell Therapies for Knee Osteoarthritis ... - Pain News Network - November 25th, 2023
- Dietary Sources, Bioavailability, and Functions of Ascorbic Acid ... - Cureus - November 25th, 2023
- FY 2024 VA-Funded Projects - VA's Office of Research and Development - November 25th, 2023
- Real-world data suggest effectiveness of the allogeneic ... - Journal of Translational Medicine - November 23rd, 2023
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Characteristics, Function, and Application - November 23rd, 2023
- Combined application of therapeutic viruses and nanomaterials to ... - News-Medical.Net - November 23rd, 2023
- Progress in the Development of Stem Cell-Derived Cell-Free ... - Dove Medical Press - November 23rd, 2023
- Improving the therapeutic efficacy of oncolytic viruses for cancer ... - Journal of Translational Medicine - November 23rd, 2023
- 11.22.23 -- How To Lose A Batch In 10 Days - BioProcess Online - November 23rd, 2023
- The Pros and Cons of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapies - November 19th, 2023
- Leptin's influence on MMP-1 expression | JIR - Dove Medical Press - November 15th, 2023
- TWIST1 and TSG6 are coordinately regulated and function as ... - Science - November 11th, 2023
- Association between severe acute malnutrition in childhood and ... - BioMed Central - November 11th, 2023
- Global Market for Treatments for Syndromes of Progressive Ataxia and Weakness Disorders - Yahoo Finance - November 11th, 2023
- Stem Cell Restore Reviews - Does It Work? Real Green Valley ... - The Daily World - November 11th, 2023
- Biological and genetic characterization of a newly established ... - Nature.com - November 11th, 2023
- Placental Stem Cell Collection and Storage Industry Scope ... - Argyle Report - November 9th, 2023
- In Vitro Evaluation of Light-Induced Cytotoxic Property: Synergistic ... - Cureus - November 9th, 2023
- UF professor launches nonprofit to equalize cell-based therapy access - Mainstreet Daily News Gainesville - November 7th, 2023
- Who are the leading innovators in cell immunomodulation for the ... - Pharmaceutical Technology - November 7th, 2023
Recent Comments