a Department of Biotechnology, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan b Kaneka Corporation, 1-8 Miyamae-machi, Takasago 676-8688, Japan
Abstract:
The use of transgenic avian allows cost effective and safe production of pharmaceutical proteins. Here, we report the successful production of chimeric chickens expressing human erythropoietin (hEpo) using a high-titer retroviral vector. The hEpo expressed by transgenic hens accumulated abundantly in egg white and had N- and O-linked carbohydrates. While attachment of terminal sialic acid and galactose was incomplete, portions of N- and O-linked carbohydrates were present. In vitro biological activity of egg white-hEpo was comparable to that produced by recombinant CHO cells.