Storage Temperature Alters the Expression of Differentiation-Related Genes in Cultured Oral Keratinocytes

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 11; no. 3; p. e0152526
• Main Authors: Utheim, Tor Paaske, Islam, Rakibul, Fostad, Ida G, Eidet, Jon R, Sehic, Amer, Olstad, Ole K, Dartt, Darlene A, Messelt, Edward B, Griffith, May, Pasovic, Lara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 29-03-2016; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Analysis; Apoptosis - genetics; Bicarbonates; Biochemistry; Biology; Biology and Life Sciences; Biomarkers - metabolism; Breast cancer; Cancer therapies; Carbonates; Cell Communication - genetics; Cell culture; Cell cycle; Cell differentiation; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Cell Proliferation; Cells, Cultured; Cluster Analysis; Dentistry; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Differentiation; DNA; DNA microarrays; Down-Regulation - genetics; Epithelium; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation; Genes; Genetic aspects; Hedgehog protein; Hospitals; Humans; Keratinocytes; Keratinocytes - cytology; Keratinocytes - metabolism; Laboratories; Limbus Corneae - cytology; Medicine and Health Sciences; Melatonin; Mouth - cytology; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Physiological aspects; Preservation, Biological; Principal Component Analysis; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Reproducibility of Results; Research and Analysis Methods; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; Signal transduction; Signal Transduction - genetics; Signaling; Sodium; Sodium bicarbonate; Stem cells; Stem Cells - cytology; Stem Cells - metabolism; Storage; Storage temperature; Stress, Physiological - genetics; Studies; Temperature; Temperature effects; Transplants; Up-Regulation - genetics; Variance analysis; Viability; Norway; United States > US; Massachusetts
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152526

Storage of cultured human oral keratinocytes (HOK) allows for transportation of cultured transplants to eye clinics worldwide. In a previous study, one-week storage of cultured HOK was found to be superior with regard to viability and morphology at 12°C compared to 4°C and 37°C. To understand more of how storage temperature affects cell phenotype, gene expression of HOK before and after storage at 4°C, 12°C, and 37°C was assessed.
Cultured HOK were stored in HEPES- and sodium bicarbonate-buffered Minimum Essential Medium at 4°C, 12°C, and 37°C for one week. Total RNA was isolated and the gene expression profile was determined using DNA microarrays and analyzed with Partek Genomics Suite software and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Differentially expressed genes (fold change > 1.5 and P < 0.05) were identified by one-way ANOVA. Key genes were validated using qPCR.
Gene expression of cultures stored at 4°C and 12°C clustered close to the unstored control cultures. Cultures stored at 37°C displayed substantial change in gene expression compared to the other groups. In comparison with 12°C, 2,981 genes were differentially expressed at 37°C. In contrast, only 67 genes were differentially expressed between the unstored control and the cells stored at 12°C. The 12°C and 37°C culture groups differed most significantly with regard to the expression of differentiation markers. The Hedgehog signaling pathway was significantly downregulated at 37°C compared to 12°C.
HOK cultures stored at 37°C showed considerably larger changes in gene expression compared to unstored cells than cultured HOK stored at 4°C and 12°C. The changes observed at 37°C consisted of differentiation of the cells towards a squamous epithelium-specific phenotype. Storing cultured ocular surface transplants at 37°C is therefore not recommended. This is particularly interesting as 37°C is the standard incubation temperature used for cell culture.