100-300 IU Penicillin and 50 ug Streptomycin per ml medium are widely used for maintaining sterility in cell cultures. No adverse effects of these antibiotics on growth and differentiation of these cultured cells have been reported. We have investigated whether Penicillin, Streptomycin or Gentamicin interfere with total protein, DNA and the synthesis of sulfatide ( a component of myelin) in brain cell cultures of newborn mice after 6, 9, 12 days in culture. The combination of 200 IU Penicillin and 50 ug Streptomycin per ml as well as 50 ug Streptomycin per ml alone depressed total protein, DNA and sulfatide synthesis. Up to 300 IU Penicillin per ml or 50 ug Gentamicin per ml showed no effect on protein and DNA while there was a dose-dependent interference with sulfatide synthesis. Less than 100 IU Penicillin or 6 ug Gentamicin per ml did not even affect sulfatide synthesis. Since the antimicrobial activity is preserved even at lower concentrations, the recommended doses should be reduced to non-toxic levels. Dissociated brain cell cultures could possibly be used to study the effect of antibiotics or other drugs on growth and differentiation of brain cells in vitro. This might help to understand drug action and side effects in vivo.
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