Table 1 Related clinical studies, case reports and animal studies of mesenchymal stem cells combined with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for ARDS treatment

Lin et al. [75]

Clinical study

Adenovirus pneumonia

VV-ECMO and

VA-ECMO

BM-MSCs

1

i.t

6.25 × 10⁶cells/kg, single dose

Respiratory and lung condition improved

Kaushal et al. [45]

Clinical study

COVID-19

VV-ECMO

BM-MSCs

40(9/31)

i.v

2–3 doses

↓Mortality,COVID-19 IgG Spike protein, the SOFA score, VEGF-A, IL-12-p70

↑PaO₂/FiO₂

Simonson et al. [43]

Clinical study

A H1N1

VV-ECMO;

VA-ECMO

BM-MSCs

2

i.v

2 × 10⁶ cells/kg,

Single dose

oxygenation and pulmonary compliance improved

↓ IL-6,IL-8,IFN-γ

↑Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor levels, surfactant protein B

Jungebluth et al. [76]

Clinical study

Burn

VV-ECMO and VA-ECMO

PBMCs and EPO

1

i.t

(300 ± 50) × 10⁶ PBMCs, on ECMO days 9, 10, 16, 21 and 23, total 5 dose and 30,000 IU EPO every other day, from ECMO day 9 to ECMO day 20, three times per day, total 18 doses

Further regression of inflammation in bronchoscopy images

↓WBC

↑CD14⁺,CD83⁻, miR-449a, b, c and miR-34a

Liu et al. [47]

Clinical study

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia

VV-ECMO

UCB

1

i.t

nucleated cells:0.77 × 10⁶cells/kg

live CD34 cells: 0.25 × 105cells/kg,

single dose

Lung lesions and ECMO condition improved

↑CD16 + ,CD56 + 

↓IL-α,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,IL-1β, PCT

Tao et al. [74]

Clinical study

COVID-19

Unknown

UCB-MSCs

1

i.t

1.5 × 10⁶cells/kg,

Every 48 h,

total 5dose

PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio maintained stable

↓Blood creatinine, urea nitrogen

↑Pulmonary static compliance

Millar et al. [42]

Animal study

Border Leicester Cross ewes,

oleic acid i.v. and

E. coli LPS i.t

VV-ECMO

iPSC-derived hMSCs

14(7/7)

i.t

After 1 h of VV-ECMO,

3 × 10⁸iPSC-derived hMSCs,

Single dose

the membrane oxygenator function is impaired

↓Lung inflammation, lymphocyte count,IL-8, the depth and severity of shock

↑Pulmonary arterial thromboses

Kocyildirim et al.⁴¹

Animal study

Sheep,

E. coli endotoxin

VV-ECMO

MAPC

11(5/3/3)

i.t

After 1.5 h of the infusion of E. coli endotoxin, followed by VV-ECMO support;

40 million cells;

Single dose

↑Pulmonary artery pressure, neutrophils counts

Less inflammatory and hemorrhagic change in lungs