title: Multiparameter approach in the identification of cross-contaminated leukemia cell lines.
abstract: A common problem in cell culturing is cross-contamination with other cells or misidentification of cells. An effective cell culture quality and identity control is required in order to avoid inter- and intraspecies contamination of cell lines and their further propagation and dissemination. We present evidence that supposedly unrelated cell lines that we received from the original investigators are in fact related to the chronic myeloid leukemia cell line K-562. The sister cell lines SPI-801 and SPI-802 were originally established from a patient with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and displayed T-cell associated features. However, data from morphological evaluation, immunophenotyping, bcr-abl gene rearrangement analysis, DNA fingerprinting, Northern blot analysis of globin gene expression and esterase isoenzyme analysis clearly established that the three cell lines are related. Cytogenetic examination while not proving the common identity of the cells provided further evidence for the suspected common origin of all three cell lines. Chromosome banding, DNA fingerprinting and bcr-abl genotyping suggested further evolution of these clones during long-term cultivation. Quality and identity control is an essential feature of cell culture technique. Only regular monitoring for purity and integrity of cell lines will significantly reduce the incidence of cell line contamination and misidentification.
authors.affiliation: German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Department of Human and Animal Cell Cultures Braunschweig.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gignac
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steube
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schleithoff
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: MacLeod
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Quentmeier
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Drexler
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D016477:Artifacts; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002648:Child; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D004950:Esterases / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis; D007621:Karyotyping; D004915:Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute / Q000473:pathology*; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000473:pathology*; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000473:pathology; D015452:Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051562:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007527:Isoenzymes; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D005914:Globins; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C496613:BCR protein, human; D051562:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr; D004950:Esterases