Propagation Properties of a New Human Diploid Cell Line, RAZI-HDC, and Its Suitability as a Candidate Cell Substrate for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine Production in Comparison to MRC-5
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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
An In vitro Model to Study Immune Responses of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Published on: December 10, 2013
A Abbasi1, A Mohammadi2, B Alirezaie2
1Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Sciences and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
A new human fetal lung cell line, RAZI-HDC, effectively propagates Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), matching the performance of the established MRC-5 cell line for vaccine development. This finding supports the use of local cell lines for cost-effective RSV vaccine production.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Cell Biology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a major cause of infant mortality and respiratory illness globally.
- Existing RSV vaccine production relies on specific cell lines, often imported, impacting cost and accessibility.
- Diploid cell lines of human origin are preferred for vaccine manufacturing due to karyotype stability and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the suitability of a novel human diploid cell line, RAZI-HDC, for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) propagation.
- To compare the RSV propagation efficiency of RAZI-HDC with the established MRC-5 cell line.
- To assess the potential of RAZI-HDC as a cost-effective alternative for RSV vaccine production.
Main Methods:
- RSV propagation was performed using both RAZI-HDC and MRC-5 cell lines.
- Cell growth kinetics, including total cell count and maximum cell-specific growth rate, were analyzed.
- Virus productivity was quantified and compared between the two cell lines using statistical analysis (two-tailed t-test).
Main Results:
- RAZI-HDC demonstrated comparable cell growth characteristics to MRC-5.
- Complete cytopathic effects of RSV were observed in RAZI-HDC cells within four days, indicating sensitivity.
- Virus productivity in RAZI-HDC (2.4685 log TCID50/mL) was not significantly different from MRC-5 (2.5 log TCID50/mL), p=0.78.
Conclusions:
- The RAZI-HDC cell line is a suitable substrate for RSV propagation, performing comparably to MRC-5.
- RAZI-HDC exhibits sensitivity to RSV, making it effective for virus amplification.
- The use of locally derived RAZI-HDC offers a potential for more economical RSV vaccine manufacturing.
Abstract:
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of infection of the respiratory tract in infants, older adults, individuals with heart and lung disease, and immunocompromised patients. The disease is responsible for between 100,000 and 200,000 infant deaths on an annual basis. RSV vaccine production platforms have been developed. In this study, a local diploid cell line, RAZI-HDC, derived from human fetal lung cells, was utilized for RSV virus propagation with the objective of studying live-attenuated vaccine, and was compared to the MRC-5 cell line. The total cells per 25-cm2 flask were 44.0 ± 2.6 *105 and 41.66 ± 2.08 *105 for MRC-5 and RAZI-HDC, respectively. The maximum cell-specific growth rate of RAZI-HDC was 316.66 ± 20.81, while that of MRC-5 was only 340 ± 26.45. The maximum cell division number of RAZI-HDC was 1.24 ± 0.07, in comparison to the MRC-5, with a maximum cell division number of 1.32 ± 0.08. Both cell substrates achieved maximum cell density five days after the initiation of the culture. The complete cytopathic effect of RSV in RAZI-HDC-RAZI-HDC was observed after four days, indicating the sensitivity of these cells to RSV. The virus productivity in RAZI-HDC cells (2.4685) was not significantly different from that in MRC-5 cells (2.5), as determined by a two-tailed t-test (p=0.78). The results indicated that both cell substrates function similarly in terms of RSV propagation. It is noteworthy that diploid cell lines, such as MRC-5 and RAZI-HDC, are particularly well-suited for vaccine manufacturing. This is primarily due to their human origin and the stability of their karyotype. This is a significant advantage, as it helps ensure the safety of the final vaccine product if these cells are used to make viral vaccines that require virus amplification. The study further assessed the replication capacity of the RAZI-HDC cell line and found it to be equivalent to that of the MRC-5 cell line. Specifically, the maximum virus productivity in RAZI-HDC cells (2.4685 log TCID50/mL) was not significantly different from that in MRC-5 cells (2.5 log TCID50/mL), as determined by statistical analysis. The utilization of a locally developed cell line such as RAZI-HDC has the potential to be more cost-effective in comparison to relying on imported cell substrates.
