What is replication competent lentivirus (RCL)?

Replication competent lentiviruses (RCL) are virus particles capable of infecting cells and replicating to produce additional infectious particles.

The existence of RCL in stable cell lines generated by lentiviral vector transduction is a safety concern. As such lentiviral vectors have been engineered to significantly reduce the likelihood of RCL production. These engineered lentiviral vectors have an excellent safety record, as there are no known reports of actual RCL production.

Although RCL remains a theoretical concern, most institutes have specific requirements related to testing transduced cells for RCL. A p24 ELISA assay is the most commonly used test to demonstrate the absence of RCL in a sample of transduced cells. Imanis offers p24 ELISA RCL testing for lentivirus; visit our Sample Analysis page for more information.