THE USE OF THE IRON-CHELATING AGENT DESFERRIOXAMINE IN RICE CELL CRYOPRESERVATION - A NOVEL-APPROACH FOR IMPROVING RECOVERY

The iron chelating drug, desferrioxamine is used to suppress oxidative stress in mammalian transplant organs subjected to cold storage. The efficacy of desferrioxamine in improving post-thaw survival in cryopre served cells from two rice culture lines was evaluated. Unfrozen rice cells maintained proliferation capacity over a fifteen day time course when exposed to concentrations of desferrioxamine > 10 mg . l(-1). Al beit, growth was reduced compared to controls. Short-term applications of the drug at concentrations of 0.5 and 10 mg . l(-1) before cryopre servation and during the early post-thaw period had a positive affect on recovery as assessed by cell proliferation and triphenyl tetrazoliu m chloride reduction capabilities. The pharmaceutical properties of de sferrioxamine are attributed to iron sequestration and the prevention of harmful Fenton and free radical chemistry. However, desferrioxamine did not significantly reduce lipid peroxidation in cryopreserved rice cells.