Table 2.
Effect of cryopreservation on Treg numbers and phenotype
| Fresh PBMCs (N = 5) | Frozen PBMCs (N = 5) | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CD3+CD4+ |
51,4 |
51,38 |
0,99 |
|
Tregs (CD3+CD4+CD25+FOXP3+CD127lo/-) |
2,16 |
2,15 |
0,96 |
| CD127loHLA-DR- Tregs |
35,8 |
34,8 |
0,77 |
| CD127loHLA-DR+ Tregs |
35,96 |
37,56 |
0,53 |
| CD127-HLA-DR+ Tregs |
20,54 |
20,8 |
0,91 |
| CD127-HLA-DR- Tregs | 7,67 | 6,77 | 0,36 |
The impact of the cryopreservation method was tested by measuring Treg frequencies and phenotype in fresh and freeze/thawed PBMCs of a small random sample (N = 5). Treg frequencies and phenotype of the same subjects before and after cryopreservation were compared with paired samples T test (data represented as group means). The results indicate no effect of cryopreservation on Treg numbers and phenotype.