Incorrect strain information for mouse cell lines: sequential influence of misidentification on sublines

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Cell Biology
• Laboratory Animal Science

Background:

• Cell line misidentification and cross-contamination pose significant research challenges.
• While human cell lines undergo authentication, mouse cell lines lack standardized assessment methods.
• Accurate strain identification is vital for reproducible mouse model research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the accuracy of mouse cell line strain identification using simple sequence length polymorphism (SSLP) analysis.
• To identify potential misidentifications within the JCRB cell bank's mouse cell line collection.
• To compare the nature of misidentification in mouse versus human cell lines.

Main Methods:

• Simple Sequence Length Polymorphism (SSLP) analysis was performed on 90 mouse cell lines from the JCRB cell bank.
• Genotypes were compared against seven major inbred mouse strains.
• Discrepancies between SSLP profiles and registered strain information were investigated.

Main Results:

• Strain identification was successful for 80 out of 90 mouse cell lines.
• Fifteen percent (12 out of 80) of identified cell lines showed discrepancies with their registered information.
• Specific cases included cell lines derived from inter-strain crosses and those misidentified as Swiss instead of BALB/c.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion of mouse cell lines in the JCRB bank are misidentified, necessitating improved authentication protocols.
• The causes and implications of mouse cell line misidentification differ from those in human cell lines due to genetic factors like interbreeding.
• Implementing SSLP or similar genetic fingerprinting methods is recommended for routine mouse cell line authentication to ensure research integrity.