Evaluation of Cytopathic Effects in Uninfected Cell Cultures Under Varying Fetal Bovine Serum and Antibiotic Concentrations (original) (raw)

Published January 27, 2025 | Version Rev 1

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This study investigates the morphological changes and cytopathic effects (CPE) observed in uninfected Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK293T) cell cultures under varying concentrations of fetal bovine serum (FBS) and antibiotics. The primary aim was to determine whether the CPE, typically attributed to viral infections, could be replicated in uninfected cultures by varying the culture environment within normal isolation protocols. HEK293T cells were cultured under different conditions, including various FBS and antibiotic concentrations, and monitored for morphological changes over a period of 3 to 5 days. The results demonstrated that uninfected cultures exhibited significant CPE, such as plaque formation, ballooning, rounding, floating, lifting, and syncytia, similar to those seen in infected cultures. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed the presence of viral-like particles in control cultures, with particles resembling known viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, Measles virus, and HIV based on their size, shape, and protein inclusions. The study also evaluated the impact of seeding density, nutrient verification, and the addition of Amphotericin and human samples on CPE. These findings suggest that the reduced FBS environments commonly used in viral isolation protocols contribute significantly to the observed CPE, challenging the validity of using these morphological changes as definitive indicators of viral presence. The study highlights the need for a critical reassessment of current viral isolation methods and the interpretation of CPE in cell cultures. Future research should focus on elucidating the specific mechanisms by which reduced FBS and varying antibiotic concentrations induce CPE in uninfected cultures and developing alternative methods for viral isolation that do not rely solely on CPE as an indicator.

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