OVERVIEW

Fungal contamination in cell culture is often a seasonal problem. Molds and yeasts like humidity and heat. Each scientist in bio-research as well as each bioproduct manufacturer can be one day confronted with this problem. The potential sources of such a contamination are numerous (3,4,5) :

The external environment  : air, water, surfaces in the cell culture room

  • The unfiltered air of the cell culture room can carry molds (Penicillium, Aspergillus …) (1,2) and yeasts on the work surfaces, in the laminar flow hood and in CO2 incubators where the humid atmosphere allows the growth of fungi.
  • The uncleaned ground of the cell culture room can allow the multiplication of dust mite which can carry a lot of microbial contaminants such as yeasts and molds . The risk of contamination depends of the season, the location of the room and the routine cleaning realized in this area (6).

The supplies :

  • All materials going into the cell culture room with their initial cardboard package can carry insect and dust mites which are a source of fungi.
  • The equipment (laminar flow hoods, incubators..) and all materials going into and out of the laminar flow hood must be regularly disinfected between experiments (5,6).
  • Incoming cell lines which are initially infected (4,5,6).

The laboratory personnel :

  • Dust from skin, hair, or clothing can contaminate all contacted surfaces with yeasts such as Candida albicans potentially present in the human skin flora.

As the sources of fungal contamination are various, everyone can be confronted one day to this problem even in laboratories where good cell culture techniques and quality control procedures are established: it must not be forgotten that fungal contamination in a cell culture system can result from a single organism that can fall into a cell culture and is capable of replication.

In front of such a threat , there is fortunately a solution called Fungin™.

Fungin™ has been developed specially to prevent or to cure fungal contamination in cell culture. Fungin™ is an innovative formulation of the polyene Pimaricin. This formulation is:

  • Able to replace Amphotericin B preparation
  • Totally soluble in water (no need for toxic deoxycholate to make it soluble)
  • Highly stable.

Fungin™ eradicates fungi by disrupting ionic exchange through their cell membrane. Fungin™ has the same fungicidal activity spectrum as amphotericin B preparations with a broad activity against yeasts and most filamentous fungi. At the active concentration, this new highly stable and water soluble preparation displays no toxicity to cell line and is also compatible with penicillin/streptomycin solutions.

References

  1. Arnow PM, Houchins SG, Richards JM, Chudy R. 1991. Aspergillus fumigatus contamination of lymphokine-activated killer cells infused into cancer patients. J Clin Microbiol 29: 1038-41
  2. Clarke JH, Norman JA, Lavery E. 1989. Some observations on contamination of animal cell cultures by the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus and suggested control measures. Cell Biol Int Rep 13: 773-9
  3. Doyle A, Griffiths JB. 1998. The cell: selection and standardization. In Cell and tissue culture: laboratory procedures in biotechnology, ed. A Doyle, JB Griffiths, pp. 35-52: Wiley and Sons, Ltd.
  4. Freshney RI. 1994. Contamination. In Culture of animal cells : a manual of basic technique, pp. 243-52. New-York: Wiley-Liss, Inc.
  5. Lincoln CK, Gabridge MG. 1998. Cell culture contamination: sources, consequences, prevention, and elimination. Methods Cell Biol 57: 49-65
  6. Vierck JL, Byrne K, Mir PS, Dodson MV. 2000. Ten commandments for preventing contamination of primary cell cultures. Methods Cell Sci 22: 33-41