The most common nonspecific manifestations of post-COVID syndrome (PCS), such as headaches, muscle pain, dizziness, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive impairment, indicate the consequences of a previous coronavirus infection with combined damage to the central nervous system (CNS), including autonomic dysfunction of brain neurons.

The late phase of CNS damage is underpinned by universal pathophysiological mechanisms: inflammatory reactions, tissue hypoxia (oxygen starvation), and apoptosis (destruction) of nerve cells. This prolonged inflammatory process is mediated by the immune system (with the release of numerous neuroinflammatory substances) and leads to significant neurotoxicity, degradation, and scarring of nerve fibers.

It is these pathological processes that MSCs can influence. They are the main instrument of natural tissue regeneration and have proven, pronounced, and stable immunomodulatory, cytoprotective, and regenerative effects.

MSCs are capable of modifying the immune response cascade and can restore damaged nerve cells and surrounding tissue,including neurons and glial cells, which helps maintain the integrity of nerve conduction pathways and restore their function.

MSCs isolated from OE can be cultured (expanded) to the required quantity in the laboratory and used to treat various forms of PCS, including insomnia.

Treatment regimen

The CT PCS method involves the use of BMCP based on autologous (the patient’s own) or donor (allogeneic) OE MSCs. In some clinical situations, the use of donor OE MSCs is advantageous over the patient’s own cells, which are compromised by various chronic or autoimmune pathologies.

The low immunogenicity of OE MSCs allows their use without donor-recipient pairing. Indications and contraindications for this treatment method are determined by a neurologist or immunologist.

The cell transplant procedure (intravenous administration of BMCP) is a minimally invasive procedure performed on an outpatient basis. The dose and frequency of BMCP administration are determined by the attending physician.

Efficiency

After systemic (intravenous) administration of BMCP, paracrine activity of OE MSCs is triggered, manifested by the prolonged release of various neurotrophic factors into the intercellular space, altering the microenvironment of damaged areas of the nervous system and accelerating axonal (nerve fiber) growth, leading to the formation of new interneuronal connections.

Furthermore, OE MSCs donate mitochondria to damaged nerve cells, promoting their recovery by normalizing cellular respiration, protecting neurons from secondary damage, and maintaining the functional activity and structural organization of both individual brain cells and the neural network as a whole.

Of course, a complete cure cannot be expected: the severity and duration of the clinical effect are determined by the type of PCS and the extent of damage to the nervous system. Severe tissue changes make the prognosis for cell therapy unfavorable.

Safety and Complications

The method’s safety with respect to autoimmune, allergic, and infectious complications is ensured by strict adherence to BMCP production standards.

OE MSCs do not interfere with natural immune mechanisms of anti-infective and anti-tumor control. Currently, no cases of cancer development following the use of adult-human MSCs have been described in the scientific literature.