Effect of water soluble polymer, polyethyleneglycol, and glass-forming compounds on cell fusion

The cell fusion of Molt T-cells was investigated in the presence of water soluble polymer, polyethyleneglycol (PEG) and glass-forming monomers. In cell fusion with PEG only, inactivation of the cell occurred within 2 min. However, in the presence of PEG and water soluble polymer, most of the fused and unfused cells lived even after fusion times of more than 10 min. It was observed that water soluble polymer prevented the inactivation of cells during fusion as a protectant. As the result, ratio of fused cells increased in the presence of water soluble polymers. Some glass-forming monomers used as new fusogens such as M-23G (n = 23) and M-50G (n = 50) monomers having long oxyethylene chains in the methoxypolyethyleneglycol methacrylate, CH3O-(-CH2CH2-O)n-CO-C(CH3) = CH2 as well as PEG #2000 indicated large promoting and protecting effects on cell fusion.