The effect of cryo-storage on the β₂-adrenoceptor density and responsiveness in intact human lymphocytes

Abstract

Ahlquist P, Johansen T, Friis U G. The effect of cryo-storage on the β₂-adrenoceptor density and responsiveness in intact human lymphocytes. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 1994; 54: 323-8.

This study evaluates the effect of cryo-storage on β-adrenoceptor number and formation of adenosine 3′: 5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) in intact human lymphocytes as a measure of the β-adrenoceptor responsiveness.

Cryo-storage at -196°C up to 12 months caused no significant differences in the total number of β-adrenoceptors implying that apparently no loss of β₂-adrenoceptor-protein occurs. The maximal isoprenaline-stimulated cAMP generation, and the stimulation-induced number of cAMP-moleculesmin⁻¹ β₂-adrenoceptor were unaffected of short-term storage (1-14 days), but changed significantly after long-term storage (3-12 months).

We can conclude that lymphocytes can be stored for months for later determination of β-adrenoceptors. The cryo-storage method described in this paper are, however, only useful for measurements of very large changes in cAMP formation, and our results indicate that the method should be further modified in order to preserve the lymphocyte responsiveness after cryo-storage.

Key Words:

• beta adrenergic receptor
• cAMP