title: A sensitive and quantitative microassay for the detection of mycoplasma contamination: inhibition of IL-2 dependent cell line proliferation.
abstract: A simple, rapid and sensitive microassay for mycoplasma detection in cell culture is reported. The assay is based on the fact that culture supernatants from contaminated cells inhibit [3H]thymidine incorporation by an IL-2 dependent mouse cytotoxic T cell line (CTLL). The mechanism of inhibition is related to the production by several mycoplasma strains of a pyrimidine-specific nucleoside phosphorylase which can degrade the radiolabelled thymidine used for the measurement of DNA synthesis. These strains were the commonest contaminants in cultures of 24 cell lines from 5 different sources. To establish the sensitivity of the test to detect mycoplasmas we have also used the inhibition assay to monitor the clearance of mycoplasma from 2 contaminated cell lines.
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002999:Clone Cells; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008722:Methods; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000032:analysis*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2