Increasing Cryopreservative Efficiency of Therapeutic Cells by Coupling a Strong Static Magnetic Field during Freezing Process

Cell therapy is next step of coming medicine. Until now, addition of cryoprotectant is the major strategy for cryoprotection of sourcing cells. Since cryoprotectants have cytotoxic effects on the protected cells, a removing procedure, which cost time and may result in cell damage, is necessary before transfusion. In our previous reports, we found that phospholipid molecules can be reoriginated by static magnetic fields (SMF), which result in increasing of membrane rigidity. This effect is reversable and harmless for cells. Accordingly this proposal hypothesizes that cells exposed to a strong SMF during cooling stage has positive effects for protecting the frozen cells from damage of ice crystal. It is helpful for increasing the recovery rate of the frozen cells after thawing. With this regard, in this proposal, we try to design experiments to test this hypothesis. In the first year of this proposal, we will establish a SMF-coupling programmer freezer and it will be used for cryo-preserving red blood cells. The recovery rate and functional tests of the thawing RBC will be tested. In the second year, we will test the performance of our SMF-freezing technology on lower-temperature preservation of natural killer cells. The recovery rate and cytotoxicity of the SMF-cryopreserved NK cells will be evaluated after they there thawing. In the third year, extracted dental pulp cells will be carried out to test the hypothesis that SMF-coupling freezing process has positive effects on stem cells cryopreservation. After finish all the three-year tests, we will provide more insight into the mechanism and performance of SMF-coupling freezing process, and the results of this study will be a useful guide and reference for future advanced investigations.