Today’s cyclodextrin is about replacing albumin with a magic combo of Polyvinyl alcohol, N-acetylcysteine, and methyl-β-cyclodextrin.
Albumin is a crucial component of serum-free media, playing a significant role in ex vivo cell culture as a lipid carrier and antioxidant.
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and methyl-β-cyclodextrin (M-β-CD) were tested as an albumin substitute combination (PNM) and optimized their concentrations by using response surface methodology.
Verification of functions of PNM showed that intracellular fatty acid levels, cholesterol consumption rates, and the pSTAT5 level in the PNM group were significantly higher than those in the 0.75 g/L BSA group.
Reactive oxygen species levels remained controlled, and mitochondrial membrane potential was similar. These findings suggested that the PNM can effectively replace the functions of BSA as a fatty acid carrier, antioxidant, and, to some extent, a cholesterol carrier. This study provides insights for developing chemically defined media to prepare clinical-grade NK cells efficiently.
