Development of a black sea bream fibroblast cell line and its potential use as an in vitro model for stress protein studies

A fibroblast cell line (BSF) derived from a caudal fin explant of black sea bream (Mylio macrocephalus) was developed. The optimum fetal bovine serum (FBS) concentration for fibroblast cell line growth was found to be 15–20% v/v FBS and the optimum temperature range for growth was found to be 26–30 °C. The fibroblast cells displayed a diverse distribution in chromosome number with two modal chromosome numbers of 48 and 54. Upon acute heat shock (+8 °C) the cells displayed a 4.1 fold increase in hsp70 and this elevation was not prolonged as hsp70 returned to near basal levels following a 6 h recovery period. The effect of the hsp70 inducer L-azetidine- 2-carboxylic acid was tested and it was found that at a concentration of 10 mM this inducer caused a 2.3 fold increase in hsp70 levels. The sensitivity of the fibroblast cell line to heavy metal exposure was tested by treatment with Cu2+ and it was found that hsp70 was significantly elevated in the presence of micromolar concentrations of Cu2+. The data from this study demonstrates that the established black sea bream fibroblast cell line could serve as a useful in vitro model for stress protein studies.