[Neuroscience] Re: How to evaluate cytoxicity of viral vectors

[jonesmat]

Peter Shiromani wrote:
> I am trying to determine an assay procedure that will evaluate cytoxicity of viral vectors.  Would the following protocol work:
>
> Electroporate or transfect PC12 cells (or suggest better cell lines such as BHK cell) with the viral vector and then at various times after the transfection measure  cytokines such as TNF-alpha etc using standard kits from commercial sources, say R&D systems or Genzyme.
> Controls will be mock infections.
>
>
> Will this work??
>
>
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Hi,

I don't know much about toxicity, but it seems to me that "toxicity"
means that the cell should get sick, and possibly die. Your proposed
approach seems to assume that changes in cytokines is the same as
"toxicity". Is that actually true? Why not just measure whether cells
get sick and die (e.g., using a stain for living vs dead cells)?

Matt