Establishment and charaterization of a cell line from ictalurid catfish

Authors: DHARAN, VANDANA - Mississippi State University; AARATTUTHODI, SUJA - Mississippi State University; KHOO, LESTER - Mississippi State University; Bosworth, Brian

Submitted to: Journal of the World Aquaculture Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/17/2021
Publication Date: 1/18/2022
Citation: Dharan, V., Aarattuthodi, S., Khoo, L., Bosworth, B.G. 2022. Establishment and charaterization of a cell line from ictalurid catfish. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society. 53:620-633. https://doi.org/10.1111/jwas.12869.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jwas.12869

Interpretive Summary: The catfish industry is integral to the economy of the southern United States contributing >70% of the total U. S. finfish production. Catfish are susceptible to multiple pathogens including viruses which can cause significant economic losses to farmers. Viruses are particularly a concern in the hatchery and nursery phases of catfish rearing because young fish can be very susceptible . Research on viruses can be complicated because they require host cell machineries to replicate unless a suitable cell line can be developed that allows in vitro growth and replication of the virus. Viruses also tend to be very host-specific and there are very few host-specific fish cell lines available useful for the culture of fish viruses. Mississippi State University researchers, in collaboration with ARS researchers, developed and evaluated a cell culture line from a channel catfish x blue catfish hybrid fin clip. The cell line was characterized, growth conditions optimized, and the susceptibility to fish viruses was evaluated. This catfish cell line could serve as an efficient tool for virus studies, antiviral agent screening, and vaccine development benefitting catfish aquaculture.

Technical Abstract: The catfish industry is integral to the economy of the southern United States contributing >70% of the total U. S. finfish production. Intensive catfish production systems are more vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks resulting in significant economic losses. Viruses are a major concern especially in the hatchery and nursery phases of catfish rearing. These infectious agents require host cell machineries to replicate. The ability to propagate fish viruses in vitro using cell cultures is imperative in advancing virus research and facilitating disease management strategies. Several viruses show host- or even tissue-specificity. Scarcity of host-specific fish cell lines forces researchers to rely on general cell lines that might not be conducive for the replication of some viruses, thus hindering their isolation, identification, and characterization. The ictalurid cell line (channel catfish ovary [CCO-ATCC® CRL-2772]) previously available from cell repository (ATCC) has recently been reported as cross-contaminated by brown bullhead (BB) cells. Lack of host-specific cell cultures and contamination issues necessitated initiation of cell cultures from the fin tissues of hybrid catfish (' channel catfish'×'' blue catfish). A combination approach involving tissue explantation and enzymatic digestion methods were used to develop catfish fin cell cultures. These cultures were passaged over 100 times and transitioned into an established cell line. The hybrid catfish fin (HCF) cell line was characterized, growth conditions optimized, species of origin molecularly authenticated, and the susceptibility to fish viruses evaluated. This catfish cell line could serve as an efficient tool for virus studies, antiviral agent screening, and vaccine development benefitting catfish aquaculture.