X-Message-Number: 18353
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2002 20:36:37 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: Some information on intracellular trehalose

Quick summary by the poster:
Intracellular trehalose confers increased dehydration tolerance in mamalian
cells. Freezing stresses cells partly by dehydration. Vitrification
solutions also stress cells by dehydration. IMHO, intracellular loading of
trehalose in transplant organs slated for vitrification, is likely to
significantly improve cellular viability.

Beneficial Effect of Microinjected Trehalose on the Cryosurvival of Human
Oocytes
Fertility and Sterility 77(1): 152-158 January 2002

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of trehalose as an intracellular
cryoprotectant of human oocytes.
Intervention(s): Discarded human oocytes, obtained from IVF patients, were
randomly distributed into three groups; control group (no trehalose),
extracellular trehalose group (0.5 M extracellular trehalose), and
intracellular trehalose group (0.15 M intra- and 0.5 M extracellular
trehalose). Trehalose was introduced into oocytes by microinjection. The
oocytes in each group were cooled to different temperatures (i.e., -15C,
-30C, and -60C) at rate of 1C/minute and thawed at ambient air temperature.
Survival was examined after overnight culture.
Results(s): The majority of oocytes in the intracellular trehalose group
survived cooling to -15C (63%), -30C (53%), and -60C (66%). In contrast,
only a small number of oocytes in both the control (13%) and extracellular
trehalose group (22%) survived cooling to -15C, while all oocytes
degenerated when cooled to -30C and -60C.
Conclusion(s): Small amounts of intracellular trehalose in the absence of
any other cryoprotectant provide a significant protection against
freeze-associated stresses. Our results suggest that sugars such as
trehalose should be considered as intracellular cryoprotectants for
cryopreservation of human oocytes.

Also of interest:

Survival of the Cryptobiotic Eutadigrade Adorybiotus Coronifer During
Cooling to -196C: Effect of Cooling Rate, Trehalose Level, and Short-Term
Acclimation
Cryobiology 29: 125-130 1992

Trehalose: A Cryoprotectant that Enhances Recovery and Preserves Function of
Human Pancreatic Islets After Long-Term Storage
Diabetes 46: 519-523 1997

Role of Saccharides on Lung Preservation
Transplantation 68(1): 110-117 July 15, 1999

Intracellular Trehalose Improves the Survival of Cryopreserved Mammalian
Cells
Nature Biotechnology 18: 163-167 February 2000

Trehalose Expression Confers Desiccation Tolerance on Human Cells
Nature Biotechnology 18: 168-171 February 2000

Intracellular Trehalose Improves Osmotolerance but not Desiccation Tolerance
in Mammalian Cells
FEBS Letters 487: 199-202 December 2000
 
Human Platelets Loaded with Trehalose Survive Freeze-Drying
Cryobiology 42: 79-87 2001

Desiccation Tolerance in Human Cells
Cryobiology 42: 207-217 2001

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