Evaluation of phenotypic and functional stability of RAW 264.7 cell line through serial passages

Established cell lines are widely used in research, however an appealing question is the comparability of the cells between various laboratories, their characteristics and stability in time. Problematic is also the cell line misidentification, genetic and phenotypic shift or Mycoplasma contamination which are often forgotten in research papers. The monocyte/macrophage-like cell line RAW 264.7 has been one of the most commonly used myeloid cell line for more than 40 years. Despite its phenotypic and functional stability is often discussed in literature or at various scientific discussion panels, their stability during the consecutive passages has not been confirmed in any solid study. So far, only a few functional features of these cells have been studied, for example their ability to differentiate into osteoclasts. Therefore, in the present paper we have investigated the phenotype and functional stability of the RAW 264.7 cell line from passage no. 5 till passage no. 50. We found out that the phenotype (expression of particular macrophage-characteristic genes and surface markers) and functional characteristics (phagocytosis and NO production) of RAW 264.7 cell line remains stable through passages: from passage no. 10 up to passage no. 30. Overall, our results indicated that the RAW 264.7 cell line should not be used after the passage no. 30 otherwise it may influence the data reliability.

Dual-Laboratory Validation of a Method for the Determination of Fructans in Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals: First Action 2016.14

Until recently, only two AOAC Official MethodsSM have been available for the analysis of fructans: Method 997.08 and Method 999.03. Both are based on the analysis of the fructan component monosaccharides (glucose and fructose) after hydrolysis. The two methods have some limitations due to the strategies used for removing background interferences (such as from sucrose, α-glucooligosaccharides, and free sugars). The method described in this paper has been developed to overcome those limitations. The method is largely based on Method 999.03 and uses combined enzymatic and SPE steps to remove the interfering components without impacting the final analytical result. The method has been validated in two laboratories on infant formula and adult nutritionals. Recoveries were in the range of 86-119%, with most being in the range of 91-104%. RSDr values were in the range of 0.7-2.6%, with one exception when the fructan concentration was close to the LOQ, resulting in an RSDr of 8.9%. The performance is generally within the requirements outlined in the AOAC Standard Method Performance Requirements (SMPR® 2014.002), which specifies recoveries in the range of 90-110% and RSDr values below 6%.

Microbiological quality of non-sterile pharmaceutical products

In microbiological terms, pharmaceutical products can be divided into two groups: sterile and non-sterile. Non-sterile drugs must satisfy the appropriate microbiological purity criteria which are included in pharmacopoeial monographs. Pharmacopoeial studies are prepared specifically with a view to ensuring that the medicinal product is therapeutically effective and safe for the patient. The analysis comprised the results of microbiological purity tests performed before the products are marketed. Total of 1285 samples of non-sterile drugs manufactured by different pharmaceutical plants in Polish were taken into study. The microbiological quality of drugs was assessed in accordance with the criteria included in the European Pharmacopoeia (EP). An analysis of test results demonstrated that the percentage of non-compliant samples was 1.87%. The groups of drugs, which the most often did not satisfy EPs’ requirements, were drugs containing raw materials of natural origin (5.7%). The samples of studied drugs that did not meet the criteria contained in EP, exceed the maximum allowable microbiological count limits and contained microbes whose presence is prohibited. The most common non-compliance was the excessive levels of the maximum acceptable fungal count (n = 12) and the excessive the maximum acceptable aerobic microbial count (n = 10).

Beclin-1 and its role as a target for anticancer therapy

The Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD, 2009) defines different types of cell death on the basis of morphological, enzymological, immunological and functional criteria. Four basic types of cell death are distinguished from the biochemical point of view: necrosis, apoptosis, autophagy and cornification. Autophagy (macroautophagy) is a highly conserved process by which defective organelles, non-functional proteins and lipids become sequestered within structures called autophagosomes, which fuse with lysosomes, and the engulfed components are then degraded by lysosomal enzymes. The role of autophagy is not only the elimination of components, it also serves as a dynamic recycling system that produces new materials and energy for cellular renovation and homeostasis. Beclin-1 is a protein that plays a central role in autophagy; it interacts with multiple cofactors (Atg14L, UVRAG, Bif-1, Rubicon, Ambra1, HMGB1, IP3R, PINK and survivin) to promote the formation of the Beclin-1-Vps34-Vps15 complex which triggers the autophagy protein cascade. Beclin-1 dysfunction may lead to immune disorders, liver and neurodegenerative diseases as well as cancer. A positive and negative correlation between the expression pattern and/or activity of Beclin-1 and carcinogenesis has been demonstrated. Here we describe recent advances in understanding the molecular dynamics and regulation of autophagy and we discuss Beclin-1's contribution to anticancer therapy.