Mitochondrial activities in human cultured skin fibroblasts contaminated by Mycoplasma hyorhinis.
BACKGROUND
Mycoplasma contaminations are a recurrent problem in the use of cultured cells, including human cells, especially as it has been shown to impede cell cycle, triggering cell death under various conditions. More specific consequences on cell metabolism are poorly known.


RESULTS
Here we report the lack of significant consequence of a heavy contamination by the frequently encountered mycoplasma strain, M. hyorhinis, on the determination of respiratory chain activities, but the potential interference when assaying citrate synthase. Contamination by M. hyorhinis was detected by fluorescent imaging and further quantified by the determination of the mycoplasma-specific phosphate acetyltransferase activity. Noticeably, this latter activity was not found equally distributed in various mycoplasma types, being exceptionally high in M. hyorhinis.


CONCLUSIONS
While we observed a trend for respiration reduction in heavily contaminated cells, no significant and specific targeting of any respiratory chain components could be identified. This suggested a potential interference with cell metabolism rather than direct interaction with respiratory chain components.
Unité de Recherches sur les Handicaps Génétiques de l'Enfant, INSERM U393, Tour Lavoisier, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, 149 Rue de Sèvres, 75743 Paris Cedex 15, France. niklas.darin@vgregion.se
Niklas
N
Darin
Norman
N
Kadhom
Jean-Jacques
JJ
Brière
Dominique
D
Chretien
Cécile M
CM
Bébéar
Agnès
A
Rötig
Arnold
A
Munnich
Pierre
P
Rustin
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D019069:Cell Respiration; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000201:enzymology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology*; D045790:Mycoplasma hyorhinis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010709:Phosphate Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology
D010709:Phosphate Acetyltransferase