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The hazards of retroviruses associated with monoclonal antibody production

D H Thornton, R A Nicholas

    Developments in Biological Standardization
    |January 1, 1984
    PubMed

    Insights

    Mammalian cells contain retroviral genetic information. Crude monoclonal antibody preparations may harbor these viruses, posing risks of oncogene activation and novel pathogen emergence, necessitating careful manufacturing and quality control.

    Area of Science:

    • Molecular Biology
    • Virology
    • Immunology

    Background:

    • Mammalian cells, particularly laboratory mice, harbor endogenous retroviral genetic information.
    • Murine cell lines, myeloma cell lines, and hybridomas frequently express retroviruses.
    • Crude monoclonal antibody preparations can contain significant numbers of retroviruses.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To highlight the potential risks associated with retroviruses in monoclonal antibody production.
    • To emphasize the need for stringent manufacturing and quality control procedures.
    • To inform about the pathogenic potential of retroviruses across species barriers.

    Main Methods:

    • Review of existing literature on retroviral presence in mammalian cells and monoclonal antibody production.
    • Analysis of retroviral mechanisms for oncogene activation and recombination.
    • Comparison of endogenous retroviral sequences with exogenous ones.

    Main Results:

    • Retroviruses can activate or acquire oncogenes, and recombine to form pathogenic agents.
    • Retroviruses can cross species barriers, exhibiting different pathogenicity.
    • Crude monoclonal antibodies may contain infectious retroviruses.

    Conclusions:

    • Careful manufacturing and quality control are essential for monoclonal antibody production, especially for medical and veterinary use.
    • Widespread retroviral inoculation carries the risk of creating new, transmissible pathogenic agents.
    • Understanding retroviral behavior is critical to prevent unintended consequences in biological products.

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