Critically ill patients with COVID-19 may develop lung failure and require extracorporal oxygenation due to hyperinflammation and progressive lung fibrosis. The anti-inflammatory and immune modulatory function of mesenchymal stem cells will be investigated by whole blood stimulation experiments using stem cell derived exosomes. Exosome preparations have been characterized by miRNA and protein expression patterns and suggest their tissue regenerative capacity.~The hypothesis of the present study is that mesenchymal stem cell derived exosomes attenuate inflammation and support anti-fibrotic pathways.
Following whole blood stimulation with mesenchymal stem cell derived exosomes, immune phenotype, cytokine release and mRNA expression patterns from critically ill patients with COVID-19 will be determined.