The effect of sub-culturing on the basal level of type I interferon (IFN) gene expression in the Salmon Head Kidney (SHK-1) cell line.
Over sub-culturing a cell line generates a selective pressure which can result in key cellular functions being altered such as gene and protein expression. The present study set out to determine whether serial sub-culturing affects the antiviral state of the Salmon Head Kidney (SHK-1) cell line. Cells were cultured under constant conditions and real-time PCR was performed to measure the level of interferon (IFN) and Mx gene expression over different passage numbers. A significant increase in the basal level of IFN and Mx gene expression was recorded at passage number 58 (3 and 14-fold increase versus passage number 53), suggesting a sub-culturing effect on the type I IFN response in SHK-1 cells. Passage dependent variations in morphology and cell sub-populations have been previously observed in SHK-1 cells. Such variations in cell sub-types were suspected to be responsible for the fluctuations in IFN and Mx gene expression recorded in this study.
Fourrier
M C S
MC
Marine Scotland, Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, UK. m.fourrier@marlab.ac.uk
Arnold
M F F
MF
Collet
B
B
Munro
E S
ES
D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D002460:Cell Line; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000276:immunology*; D046829:Isavirus / Q000276:immunology; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D020317:Salmo salar
D007370:Interferon Type I; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins