Alteration of the electrophoretic mobility of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells following treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide

Studies have been conducted to determine the effects of DMSO and freezing on the electrophoretic distribution of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Sodium [51Cr]chromate was used to label the cells, and the distributions of cell number and cell-associated radioactivity were determined. Cells treated with DMSO had a narrower distribution of electrophoretic mobilities when compared with those not treated. DMSO-treated cells also demonstrated a more homogeneous distribution of radioactivity relative to the cell distribution than did the nontreated cells. The freezing of DMSO-treated cells did not result in any additional alteration of electrophoretic pattern compared to DMSO treatment alone. Analysis by linear categorization techniques indicated that the DMSO-treated and nontreated cells were completely distinguished by their electrophoretic behavior.