Tumor analysis: Freeze-thawing cycle of triple negative breast cancer cells changes tumor CD24/CD44 profile and percentage of tumor-infiltrating immune cells

We studied the impact of cryopreservation on the transcriptome of tumorosphere derived from freshly dissociated triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumors. RNA expression of tumorospheres derived from freshly dissociated or frozen then thawed dissociated tumor cells from 3 patients was analysed. Dissociated tumor cells from three TNBC patients were collected and either immediately cultured or cryopreserved for 15 days then thawed. Fresh or cryopreserved dissociated cells were cultured in mammocult medium (stemcell technologies) in low attachment plates. After two weeks mammospheres were collected and total RNA was extracted. Cell immunophenotyping was performed at dissociation, after thawing and at RNA collection with flow cytometry.