GFc7 as a Smart Growth Nanofactor for ex vivo Expansion and Cryoprotection of Humans’ Hematopoietic Stem Cells

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, smart synthesized nanostructures have attracted wide attention in the field of stem cell nanotechnology due to their effect on different properties of stem cells. METHODS: GFc7 growth nanofactor was synthesized based on nanochelating technology as an iron-containing copper chelator nanocomplex. The effect of this nanocomplex on the expansion and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) as well as its performance as a cryoprotectant was evaluated in the present study. RESULTS: The results showed that the absolute count of CD34(+) and CD34(+)CD38(−) cells on days 4, 7, 10 and 13; the percentage of lactate dehydrogenase enzyme on the same days and CD34(+)CXCR4 population on day 10 were significantly increased when they were treated with GFc7 growth nanofactor in a fetal bovine serum (FBS)-free medium. This medium also led to delayed differentiation in HSCs. One noticeable result was that CD34(+)CD38(−) cells cultured in an FBS medium were immediately differentiated into CD34(+)CD38(+) cells, while CD34(+)CD38(−) cells treated with GFc7 growth nanofactor in FBS medium did not show such an immediate significant differentiation. De-freezing GFc7-treated CD34(+) cells, which were already frozen according to cord blood bank protocols, showed a higher percentage of cell viability and a larger number of colonies according to colony-forming cell assay as compared to control. CONCLUSION: It can be claimed that treating HSCs with GFc7 growth nanofactor leads to quality and quantity improvement of HSCs, both in terms of expansion in vitro and freezing and de-freezing processes.