Removing Viruses from Cell Lines – Implications for Organ Regen?

A few years back, I worked on the naming of a pathogen eradication system designed to eliminate nucleic acid-containing entities from components of blood. The system used an additive that would bind nucleic acids and – upon exposure to light – destroy the nucleic acid bonds thus eradicating the pathogens.

The May 15, 2009 Genetic Engineering News cover story, Strategies for Removing Viruses from Cell Lines, describes a number of methods being used to remove viruses from bioprocess lines to minimize the risk of contamination. The article focuses on new methods being developed by Lonza Biologics, Medarex, Millipore, and WuXi AppTec. It reviews filtration, precipitation and fractionation methods and mentions new guidelines being developed for viral safety in biological organisms. (The upcoming “Viral Safety for Biologica” meeting will further explore these issues.)

I expected the article to focus on recombinant methods of viral removal from the cell line genomes, since I have been thinking about the implications of viruses embedded in the genomes of organs. I would suspect that when we reach the point of transplanting artificial organs, a certification process will be put into place, not only to certify the purity of the organs, but to guarantee the genetic material of the organs do not contain dormant viral DNA that could at any time be activated.

If you know of anyone working in this area, send the information my way. In the meantime, further investigation is required.