Multivariate Calibration Approach for Quantitative Determination of Cell-Line Cross Contamination by Intact Cell Mass Spectrometry and Artificial Neural Networks

PLoS One. 2016 Jan 28;11(1):e0147414. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147414. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Cross-contamination of eukaryotic cell lines used in biomedical research represents a highly relevant problem. Analysis of repetitive DNA sequences, such as Short Tandem Repeats (STR), or Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR), is a widely accepted, simple, and commercially available technique to authenticate cell lines. However, it provides only qualitative information that depends on the extent of reference databases for interpretation. In this work, we developed and validated a rapid and routinely applicable method for evaluation of cell culture cross-contamination levels based on mass spectrometric fingerprints of intact mammalian cells coupled with artificial neural networks (ANNs). We used human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) contaminated by either mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) or mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) as a model. We determined the contamination level using a mass spectra database of known calibration mixtures that served as training input for an ANN. The ANN was then capable of correct quantification of the level of contamination of hESCs by mESCs or MEFs. We demonstrate that MS analysis, when linked to proper mathematical instruments, is a tangible tool for unraveling and quantifying heterogeneity in cell cultures. The analysis is applicable in routine scenarios for cell authentication and/or cell phenotyping in general.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calibration
  • Cell Line
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Human Embryonic Stem Cells / physiology
  • Humans
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Mice
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neural Networks, Computer*
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Specimen Handling

Grants and funding

This study was supported by Grant Agency of Masaryk University (MUNI/M/0041/2013 and MUNI/A/1558/2014), from the European Regional Development Fund (CZ.1.05/1.1.00/02.0123 and CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0185) and by funds from the Faculty of Medicine MU to junior researcher (Petr Vaňhara). Elisa Valletta gratefully acknowledges the Masaryk University and its Department of Chemistry, for the kind hospitality and for funding her stay in Brno. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.