THE PROBLEM OF CELL CULTURES CONTAMINATION WITH MAMMALIAN ORTHOREOVIRUSES

A mandatory requirement for cell cultures used in scientific researches and biomanufacturing is the absence of their contamination by viruses. We have described the case of adventitious isolation of mammalian orthoreovirus in the rhesus macaque embryo kidney cells MA-104. PCR analysis for the presence of reovirus RNA of all probable sources of reovirus (trypsin, fetal bovine serum, clinical samples, cell culture) revealed no viral RNA in any of the samples. An important condition for the activation of the reovirus reproduction in the MA-104 cells was the presence of trypsin in the culture medium. The obtained results underscore the urgency of control for the reovirus contamination of chemicals of animal origin and cell cultures. Since reoviruses are associated with human diseases, such control in pharmaceutical production is mandatory.

animal cell culture, viral contamination, mammalian orthoreovirus, trypsin