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Antibody-mediated neutralization of virus is abrogated by mycoplasma
Abstract:
The ability of a mouse mammary tumor cell line to abrogate antibody neutralization of vesicular stomatitis virus was shown to be due to the presence of mycoplasma. The mycoplasma was isolated from the cell line and typed as Mycoplasma orale. Colonies of this mycoplasma were used to deliberately infect cell cultures which then gained the capacity to reactivate antibody-neutralized virus. The extent of the reactivation depended on the source of neutralizing antiserum. Other species of mycoplasma were tested and were found to reactivate neutralized virus, indicating that this may be a general phenomenon of mycoplasma contamination.
Insights
Mycoplasma contamination, specifically Mycoplasma orale, was found to enable mouse tumor cells to overcome antibody neutralization of vesicular stomatitis virus. This reactivation of neutralized virus by mycoplasma may be a widespread issue in cell cultures.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Microbiology
- Virology
Background:
- Antibody neutralization is a key mechanism for controlling viral infections.
- Cell lines are crucial tools in biomedical research, but can be susceptible to contamination.
- Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a commonly used model virus in laboratory studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanism by which a mouse mammary tumor cell line abrogates antibody neutralization of VSV.
- To identify the contaminant responsible for this phenomenon.
- To determine if other mycoplasma species exhibit similar virus reactivation capabilities.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and identification of mycoplasma from an infected cell line.
- Typing of the isolated mycoplasma as Mycoplasma orale.
- Experimental infection of naive cell cultures with Mycoplasma orale to assess VSV reactivation.
- Testing of other mycoplasma species for their ability to reactivate neutralized VSV.
Main Results:
- The abrogation of antibody neutralization was attributed to Mycoplasma orale contamination.
- Infected cell cultures demonstrated the capacity to reactivate antibody-neutralized VSV.
- The degree of virus reactivation varied depending on the specific neutralizing antiserum used.
- Other tested mycoplasma species also showed the ability to reactivate neutralized VSV.
Conclusions:
- Mycoplasma contamination, particularly Mycoplasma orale, can interfere with antibody-based virus neutralization assays.
- This finding suggests that mycoplasma contamination may be a general cause of virus reactivation in cell cultures.
- Researchers should be vigilant about mycoplasma contamination to ensure the validity of VSV neutralization studies.