Diagnosis and treatment of HEp-2 cells contaminated with mycoplasma

Abstract Contamination of primary and cell cultures by mycoplasmas is one the main economic biological pitfalls in basic research, diagnosis manufacture biotechnological products. It a common issue which may be difficult to conduct surveillance on. Mycoplasma presence affect several physiological parameters cell, besides being considered an important source inaccurate and/or non-reproducible scientific results. Each type presents characteristical symptoms, mainly morphological, that indicate contamination mycoplasma. HEp-2 cells originate from carcinoma larynx are, therefore, part respiratory tract, mycoplasma habitats. Despite importance these research (evaluation proliferation migration, apoptosis, antiviral antitumor compounds), alterations induced have not yet been described. Here, we describe progressive morphological culture infected with mycoplasma, as well the-diagnosis infection its treatment. described within this work led cytoplasm elongation, cell-to-cell spacing, thin plasma membrane projections, cytoplasmic vacuoles, fusion neighboring cells, and, finally, death. was detected fluorescence imaging (DAPI) PCR reactions. The were treated BM-Cyclin antibiotic eliminate contamination. data presented here will relevance researchers whose investigations involve culture, especially cells.