A new approach to establish a cell line with reduced risk of endogenous retroviruses

PLoS One. 2013 Apr 9;8(4):e61530. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061530. Print 2013.

Abstract

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are integrated as DNA proviruses in the genomes of all mammalian species. Several ERVs are replication-competent and produced as fully infectious viruses from host cell. Thus, live-attenuated vaccines and biological substances have been prepared using the cell lines which may produce ERV. Indeed, we recently reported that several commercial live-attenuated vaccines for pets were contaminated with the infectious feline endogenous retrovirus, RD-114. In this study, to establish a cell line for vaccine manufacture with reduced risk of ERVs, we generated a cell line stably expressing human tetherin (Teth-CRFK cells). The release of infectious ERV from Teth-CRFK cells was suppressed to undetectable levels, while the production of parvovirus in Teth-CRFK cells was similar to that in parental CRFK cells. These observations suggest that Teth-CRFK cells will be useful as a cell line for the manufacture of live-attenuated vaccines or biological substances with reduced risk of ERV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / genetics*
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Cats
  • Cell Engineering / methods
  • Cell Line*
  • Drug Contamination / prevention & control*
  • Endogenous Retroviruses / growth & development
  • Founder Effect
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / genetics
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Kidney / cytology
  • Kidney / virology
  • Parvovirus / physiology*
  • Risk
  • Transfection
  • Urothelium / cytology*
  • Urothelium / virology
  • Vaccines / biosynthesis
  • Vaccines / immunology
  • Vaccines / standards
  • Vaccines, Attenuated
  • Virus Release / physiology*
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • BST2 protein, human
  • GPI-Linked Proteins
  • Vaccines
  • Vaccines, Attenuated

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Programme for Promotion of Basic and Applied Researches for Innovations in Bio-oriented Industry. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.