Trehalose, a nontoxic disaccharide, is a promising cryoprotective agent for medically applicable cells. In our study, the efficiency of combining reversible electroporation and trehalose for cryopreservation of two human mesenchymal stem cell types; adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) and umbilical cord-derived stem cells (UC-MSC) was assessed. By optimization of cell permeabilization and viability parameters, 1.5 kV/cm of electric field was determined to successfully introduced trehalose into the cells. Cells were then electroporated in the presence of different extracellular trehalose concentrations. 250 mM extracellular trehalose was determined to be needed for successful cell cryopreservation that is comparable to results obtained by standard dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) cryopreservation protocol. Surprisingly, comparable viabilities were obtained in samples treated with or without electroporation in the presence of high extracellular trehalose concentration, where only 10 % lower viability was obtained in non-electroporated cells. At 250 mM extracellular trehalose concentration of about 30–40 mM intracellular trehalose concnetration was shown to be sufficient for successful cryopreservation of the cells. To evaluate the impact of electroporation and cryopreservation on cells, cell morphology, cell differentiation, stress response and immune-activation related gene expressions were analyzed. Electroporation and cryopreservation did not affect cell morphology or cell differentiation since all tested samples were capable of adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation. Despite increased stress response, capacity of ASC and UC-MSC to highly up-regulate immunomodulatory genes in simulated inflammatory environment was not affected. ASC and UC-MSC cryopreserved in trehalose exhibited comparable characteristics to DMSO cryopreserved cells. Importantly, in comparison to DMSO, trehalose does not represent an additional risk for the patient upon cryopreserved cell product administration. Cryopreservation of umbilical cord tissue using electroporation in the presence of 250 mM trehalose was not successful. However, umbilical cord tissue was successfully cryopreserved using 10% DMSO.
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