Using cell lines for arbovirus research
The NCPV catalogue contains many viruses, including numerous under-researched, emerging and re-emerging arboviruses. Several of these have the potential to cause a significant burden of human diseases in the future should events occur that increase human-reservoir/vector interactions such as alterations in climatic conditions.
In Culture Collections, we are able to aid viral research via another one of our collections; the European Collection of Authenticated Cell Cultures (ECACC). ECACC provides a multitude of different authenticated cell lines, some of which can be utilised for the successful culturing of viruses; inclusive of the many specific arboviruses which have the capabilities to cause the next pandemic listed in our article 'From obscurity to notoriety - the evolving nature of viral diseases'.
Below are some selected popular mammalian and mosquito cell lines available from Culture Collections which are suitable for the successful culturing of arboviruses:
• ECACC General Cell Collection: BHK 21 (clone 13): Derived from hamster kidney cells, BHK cell are permissive for many arboviruses. This cell line has a deficient interferon response resulting in more efficient replication and higher titres.
• ECACC General Cell Collection: Vero: Derived from monkey kidney cells, Veros are one of the most frequently used cell lines for culturing arboviruses. Like BHK cells, Veros have a deficient interferon response resulting in more efficient replication and therefore higher titres.
• ECACC General Cell Collection: Vero C1008 [Vero 76, clone E6, Vero E6]: A clonal variant of Vero, E6 cells have noticeable contact inhibition making this cell line suitable for slower growing viruses.
• Aedes aegypti cell line: Aag2-AF319 (19022602): A clonal derivative of the Aag2-AF5 cell line with a Dcr2 knockout mutation. As Dcr2 is a key component of the innate immune response in mosquitoes, this cell line should result in increased viral replication compared to AF5.
• Aedes aegypti cell line: Aag2-AF5 (19022601): A clonal derivative of the Aag-2 cell line from Aedes aegypti, one of the most commonly used mosquito cell lines for culturing arboviruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
• Aedes albopictus cell line: C6/36 (89051705): A cell line identified via clonal selection from Aedes albopictus cells. The C6/36 line was noted for susceptibility to many important arboviruses; subsequent studies showed this line has a natural mutation in the Dcr-2 gene explaining why this cell line generated higher titres to compared to other Aedes albopictus cell lines.