Evaluation of cell-permeable analogs of trehalose for delivery of free trehalose into mammalian cells

Methods for mammalian cell preservation are crucial for both medical and research endeavors. The most common methods for preserving live mammalian cells are freezing or drying. However, these methods decrease cell viability significantly due to their damaging effects on cellular proteins and membranes. The Paulick lab has pioneered an approach for preserving mammalian cells that exploits the naturally occurring disaccharide trehalose. Trehalose, biosynthesized by yeast, bacteria, fungi, and insects, stabilizes cellular components and acts as a cellular protectant for organisms subjected to harsh freezing or drying conditions. Trehalose’s protective properties depend on high intracellular concentrations of this sugar; unfortunately, mammalian cells do not naturally produce trehalose. Furthermore, hydrophilic trehalose is unable to cross the hydrophobic mammalian cell membrane. The Paulick lab has designed and synthesized cell-permeable trehalose analogs that can be used to load trehalose into mammalian cells. In this study, we have incubated these analogs with Jurkat cells and quantified the concentrations of intracellular trehalose from these cells We are currently evaluating the protective effects of these analogs. Results from these studies will allow for a more effective method for preserving live mammalian cells.