Novel cryopreservation medium for enhanced stability of T cells at -80°C.

Abstract

The increasing demand for immune cell applications, both in clinical settings and in research laboratories, has highlighted the critical need for cryopreservation (banking) methods for T cells. While conventional techniques such as freezing with liquid nitrogen remain prevalent, they pose significant challenges including high equipment costs, safety considerations, and logistical hurdles in transportation. Our cryopreservation medium, C80EZ^®, represents a novel approach, leveraging biocompatible polysaccharides as cryoprotectants to enable safe storage at -80°C. This paper presents a comprehensive series of tests assessing the effectiveness of C80EZ^® in shielding T cells from the detrimental effects of cryopreservation. Importantly, our findings demonstrate that C80EZ^® not only ensures the survival of T cells, with a particular emphasis on preserving the CD8⁺ subsets, but also maintains their critical function in targeting and eliminating cancer cells.