X-Message-Number: 28050
Date: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 10:56:08 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: 3-O-methyl-D-glucose might reduce vitrification toxicity

[Vitrification solution toxicity is the main roadblock preventing
fully reversible cryopreservation of solid organs. Osmotic stress
is a part of this toxicity. Pretreatment with the desiccation tolerance
inducer 3-O-methyl-D-glucose would probably reduce vitrification solution
toxicity significantly.]

Tissue Eng. 2006 Jun 1; [Epub ahead of print]
3-O-Methyl-D-Glucose Improves Desiccation Tolerance of Keratinocytes.
  Transplantation of autologous skin grafts and tissue engineered skin
replacements for the treatment of burns, trauma, and ulcerative wounds
has been shown to restore a protective barrier to infection and fluid
loss, reduce heat loss, provide mechanical strength, diminish pain, and
dampen the hypermetabolic stress response to thermal injury. Patencies of
these grafts depend mainly on the high viability and sustained function
of the enmeshed keratinocytes. With growing demand in tissue replacement
therapies, development of successful and economical preservation
techniques for skin grafts and replacements becomes essential. In this
regard, if attained, desiccated state storage offers an economical
solution to availability, storage, and transportation problems. Recent
studies indicate that carbohydrates are very efficient in stabilizing
mammalian cells against various types of stresses, including those
associated with cryopreservation and desiccation. In this study we
introduce the use of 3-O-methyl-D-glucose (3-OMG), a nonmetabolizable
glucose derivative, as a new means of providing protection for
keratinocytes undergoing desiccation. We show that with decreasing water
contents, viability of the cells decreases; however, at the same water
content the immediate post-rehydration viability and long-term survival
of the cells exposed to 3-OMG are much higher than those of controls.

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