title: Suitability of MDCK cells grown in a serum-free medium for influenza virus production.
abstract: MDCK cells have been adapted to grow in a serum-free environment using Ultra-MDCK medium (BioWHITTAKER). The growth of adapted U-MDCK cells was maintained for over a year without any reduction in growth rate or modification of cell karyotype; cells were scaled up to spinner culture using several microcarriers. The cells were shown to be a very good host for influenza A and B virus replication in both the presence and absence of trypsin in the infection medium. Trypsin-independent viruses replicated to high titres (10(7)-10(8) TCID50/ml) in U-MDCK cells, after selection through serial passages without trypsin. This virus progeny exhibited uncleaved and antigenically modified haemagglutinin compared with standard viruses grown with trypsin. Finally, large amounts of influenza A and B viruses were produced in U-MDCK cells grown on microcarriers under rod-stirred conditions using selected trypsin-independent variants.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Virologie, National Influenza Center, France Sud, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thomas-Roche
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gérentes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aymard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line / Q000821:virology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000254:growth & development*; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000254:growth & development*; D013997:Time Factors; D014357:Trypsin; D014776:Virus Cultivation; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D014357:Trypsin