Genetic profiling reveals an alarming rate of cross‐contamination among human cell lines used in China
Abstract
Cell lines are widely used as in vitro model systems in biologic and medical research. However, much of the research has been invalidated by the unwitting use of false cell lines. A significant proportion of the research involving human cell lines was initiated in China. Paradoxically, the cell lines used in China have never been authenticated. Here, we present a comprehensive survey of cross‐contamination in 380 samples from 113 independent sources in China using short tandem repeat profiling methods. High levels of cross‐contamination were uncovered (95 of 380, 25%). Notable false cell lines ( e.g. , KB and WISH) are still actively used under their false identity and tissue attributions. Most strikingly, 85.51% of lines established in China were misidentified (59 of 69) and accounted for over half of the misidentifications (59 of 95, 62.11%). Further, 93.22% of the contaminants in cell lines established in laboratories of China were HeLa cells or a possible hybrid of HeLa with an unknown cell line. Results from these misidentified lines have been published in thousands of potentially erroneous articles and may have distorted the findings visible to the scientific community. False lines have been used in drug screening, potentially leading to unusable or even harmful therapeutic strategies. We also noted the causes of contamination and provided suggestions for remediation.—Ye, F., Chen, C, Qin, J., Liu, J., Zheng, C. Genetic profiling reveals an alarming rate of cross‐contamination among human cell lines used in China. FASEB J. 29, 4268‐4272 (2015). www.fasebj.org
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Our lab found about 25% cross-contamination or misidentification among 380 cell lines from 2009 to 2013 using 16/20-loci STR.
“Our lab started using STR for cell line authentication from 2009 with 16/20-loci STR and found about 25% cross-contamination or misidentification among 380 cell lines from 2009 to 2013 [6].”
From Investigation of Cross-Contamination and Misidentification of 278 Widely Used Tumor Cell Lines (2017) · cites this paper as [6]
Fang Ye and colleagues investigated 380 human cell lines and found about 25% were cross-contaminated or misidentified.
“An alarming rate of cross-contamination among human cell lines used in China was reported by Fang Ye and colleagues [6] who investigated 380 human cell lines in which about 25% was cross-contaminated or misidentified.”
From Investigation of Cross-Contamination and Misidentification of 278 Widely Used Tumor Cell Lines (2017) · cites this paper as [6]
Misidentification continues to haunt biomedical research, with new announcements of large-scale cross-contaminations and widespread use of misidentified cell lines appearing even recently.
“In spite of several alarm calls and initiatives to remedy the problem, misidentification continues to haunt biomedical research, with new announcements of large-scale cross-contaminations and widespread use of misidentified cell lines appearing even recently [11–13].”
From The ghosts of HeLa: How cell line misidentification contaminates the scientific literature (2017) · cites this paper as [13]
An analysis of the literature for the past five years showed a dramatic rise of China's share in the contaminated literature.
“Nevertheless, an analysis of the literature for the past five years showed a dramatic rise of China’s share in the contaminated literature, confirming recent worries expressed in the literature [13].”
From The ghosts of HeLa: How cell line misidentification contaminates the scientific literature (2017) · cites this paper as [13]
85% of all 'new' cell lines developed in China actually turned out to be HeLa cells.
“demonstrate that of all ‘new’ cell lines developed in China 85% actually turned out to be HeLa cells [13].”
From The ghosts of HeLa: How cell line misidentification contaminates the scientific literature (2017) · cites this paper as [13]
Levels of cell line contamination for China are between 25% and 46% according to recent publications.
“several recent publications indicate levels of cell line contamination for China between 25% [13] and 46% [46]”
From The ghosts of HeLa: How cell line misidentification contaminates the scientific literature (2017) · cites this paper as [13]
A 2015 STR profile of 380 samples from 113 independent labs in China uncovered a 25% CCCM rate.
“A 2015 STR profile of 380 samples from 113 independent labs uncovered a 25% (95/380) CCCM rate [153].”
From The history, landscape, and outlook of human cell line authentication and security (2024) · cites this paper as [153]
More than three quarters of the lines established in China were misidentified.
“More than three quarters of the lines established in China were misidentified [153].”
From The history, landscape, and outlook of human cell line authentication and security (2024) · cites this paper as [153]
In 185/420 (44%) papers, all eight non-verifiable identifiers could represent misspellings of similarly named cell lines, which were typically HeLa-contaminated cancer cell lines.
“This revealed that in 185/420 (44%) papers, all 8 NV identifiers could represent misspellings of similarly named cell lines, which were typically HeLa-contaminated cancer cell lines (38–41).”
From Misspellings or “miscellings”—Non‐verifiable and unknown cell lines in cancer research publications (2024) · cites this paper as [38]
Two non-verifiable identifiers, BGC-803 and BSG-823, were recognized misspellings of the contaminated cell lines BGC-823 or MGC-803.
“Two NV identifiers (BGC-803, BSG-823) were recognized misspellings (26) of the contaminated cell lines BGC-823 or MGC-803 (38–41)”
From Misspellings or “miscellings”—Non‐verifiable and unknown cell lines in cancer research publications (2024) · cites this paper as [38]
Studies that reported STR profiles for similarly named contaminated lines did not describe these NV cell lines.
“These NV cell lines were also not described by studies describing STR profiles for similarly named contaminated cell lines (38–41).”
From Misspellings or “miscellings”—Non‐verifiable and unknown cell lines in cancer research publications (2024) · cites this paper as [38]
Three NV lines-BGC-803, GSE-1 and MGC-823-were reported as obtained from the China Center for Type Culture Collection.
“and 3 NV cell lines (BGC-803, GSE-1, MGC-823) were described as sourced from the China Center for Type Culture Collection (38–41).”
From Misspellings or “miscellings”—Non‐verifiable and unknown cell lines in cancer research publications (2024) · cites this paper as [38]
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- Authors
- Ye, F., Chen, C., Qin, J., Liu, J., & Zheng, C.
- Affiliations
- Wuhan University (CN)
- Beijing Microread Genetics Company, Limited Beijing China
- Corresponding author
- Zheng, Congyi
- Venue
- The FASEB Journal
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2015-06-26
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 4268-4272
- ISSN
- 0892-6638 (ISSN-L)
- 1530-6860
- OpenAlex
- W2157825735
- Cited by
- 144
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 2.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The FASEB Journal (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Identification and Quantification in Food
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Viral Infectious Diseases and Gene Expression in Insects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Clinical Laboratory Practices and Quality Control
- Keywords
- human cell lines, cross-contamination, cell line authentication, short tandem repeat profiling, HeLa cells, KB cells
- MeSH terms
- China, DNA, Neoplasm, HeLa Cells, Humans, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Microsatellite Repeats, Biomedical Research, Cell Line, Tumor, DNA Contamination
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