Identification of human type D retrovirus as a contaminant in a neuroblastoma cell line

Abstract

In this report we describe a type D virus isolated from a human neuroblastoma cell line (Paju). The viral RNA was isolated, partially molecularly cloned and sequenced. Our clones were shown to be identical to a human D-type retrovirus previously isolated from a human lymphoblastoid cell line. However, we obtained no evidence for the virus in earlier passage of the Paju cell line and therefore we must consider this isolate a laboratory contamination. contamination.

Novel Endogenous Type D Retroviral Particles Expressed at High Levels in a SCID Mouse Thymic Lymphoma

“…These viruses were initially identified in studies of simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (38,39,49,59,62). In addition, type D retrovirus particles have been observed in a variety of transformed human cell lines (2,16,27,41,48,64). These are presumed to be a culture contaminant (2,48), although the activation of endogenous elements has not been ruled out.…”

“…During our analysis, we observed novel viral particles, resembling the type D retroviruses of primates, budding from the ThyE1M6 cell line. Since there are no type D retroviruses yet characterized from mice and many enigmatic accounts of type D retroviruses from human tumor cell lines (2,16,27,41,48,64) and an immunocompromised patient (4), we characterized these particles at the molecular level.…”

Complete nucleotide sequence of simian endogenous type D retrovirus with intact genome organization: evidence for ancestry to simian retrovirus and baboon endogenous virus

“…Also, recombination between different proviral genomes could result in viable virus. There are several reports on the (accidental) recovery of type D virus particles from human cell lines (1,22,30). No endogenous human type D virus could be found in these cell lines, and although contamination with macaque type D viruses could be ruled out, it is possible that the cultures had been contaminated with (often-used) monkey cell lines (e.g., Vero, CV-1, or Cos) in which endogenous type D virus genomes are present.…”

Identification of Gammaretroviruses Constitutively Released from Cell Lines Used for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Research

“…3B), and the infectivity of the LacZ pseudotypes was specifically inhibited in cells Contamination of animal cell lines with retroviruses has been described several times in the literature (3,7,13,14,18,24,27,34,41,46), and the most frequent contaminants are reported to be gammaretroviruses (7,13,14,18,27,34,35,46). A likely cause of contamination with MLV is their passage through animals as xenoimplants (18,23).…”