Transient CHO expression platform for robust antibody production and its enhanced N-glycan sialylation on therapeutic glycoproteins

Large-scale transient expression in mammalian cells is a rapid protein production technology often used to shorten overall timelines for biotherapeutics drug discovery. In this study we demonstrate transient expression in a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) host (ExpiCHO-S™) cell line capable of achieving high recombinant antibody expression titers, comparable to levels obtained using human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. For some antibodies, ExpiCHO-S™ cells generated protein materials with better titers and improved protein quality characteristics (i.e., less aggregation) than those from HEK293. Green fluorescent protein imaging data indicated that ExpiCHO-S™ displayed a delayed but prolonged transient protein expression process compared to HEK293. When therapeutic glycoproteins containing non-Fc N-linked glycans were expressed in transient ExpiCHO-S™, the glycan pattern was unexpectedly found to have few sialylated N-glycans, in contrast to glycans produced within a stable CHO expression system. To improve N-glycan sialylation in transient ExpiCHO-S™, we co-transfected galactosyltransferase and sialyltransferase genes along with the target genes, as well as supplemented the culture medium with glycan precursors. The authors have demonstrated that co-transfection of glycosyltransferases combined with medium addition of galactose and uridine led to increased sialylation content of N-glycans during transient ExpiCHO-S™ expression. These results have provided a scientific basis for developing a future transient CHO system with N-glycan compositions that are similar to those profiles obtained from stable CHO protein production systems. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 35: e2724, 2019     

二氢生物喋呤还原酶参与调控HEK293T细胞自噬作用的初步研究

目的探讨二氢生物喋呤还原酶（dihydropteridine reductase,QDPR）对HEK293T细胞自噬作用的影响。方法构建野生型QDPR和突变型QDPR重组质粒分别转染HEK293T细胞,并设空载体对照组。采用RT-PCR及Western blot方法检测空载体组,野生型QDPR组和突变型QDPR组自噬相关蛋白LC3和Beclin 1的表达量变化。结果 1）测序结果证实PCR扩增得到编码正常QDPR的cDNA序列正确以及突变的cDNA也在正确的位置突变;2）磷酸钙共沉淀法转染HEK293T细胞后,野生型QDPR和突变型QDPR融合蛋白成功表达;3）RT-PCR结果显示,与对照组相比,野生型QDPR组LC3基因水平明显上调（P〈0.05）,突变型QDPR组LC3基因水平与对照组相比无统计学差异;与对照组相比,野生型和突变型组Beclin1基因水平无统计学差异;4）Western blot结果显示,与对照组相比,野生型QDPR组LC3-II和Beclin1的蛋白表达量明显上调（P〈0.05）,但LC3-I的蛋白表达量无统计学差异,突变型QDPR组与对照组相比LC3-I,II和Beclin1的蛋白表达量均没有统计学差异（P〉0.05）。结论二氢生物喋呤还原酶能增强HEK293T细胞自噬相关基因LC3和Beclin 1的表达,提示其可能具有激活自噬作用的功能;二氢生物喋呤还原酶93位氨基酸的突变影响了其对细胞自噬作用的调控,降低了自噬标志分子LC3-I和Beclin1的基因表达。     

Engineered transient and stable overexpression of translation factors eIF3i and eIF3c in CHOK1 and HEK293 cells gives enhanced cell growth associated with increased c-Myc expression and increased recombinant protein synthesis

There is a desire to engineer mammalian host cell lines to improve cell growth/biomass accumulation and recombinant biopharmaceutical protein production in industrially relevant cell lines such as the CHOK1 and HEK293 cell lines. The over-expression of individual subunits of the eukaryotic translation factor eIF3 in mammalian cells has previously been shown to result in oncogenic properties being imparted on cells, including increased cell proliferation and growth and enhanced global protein synthesis rates. Here we report on the engineering of CHOK1 and HEK cells to over-express the eIF3i and eIF3c subunits of the eIF3 complex and the resultant impact on cell growth and a reporter of exogenous recombinant protein production. Transient over-expression of eIF3i in HEK293 and CHOK1 cells resulted in a modest increase in total eIF3i amounts (maximum 40% increase above control) and an approximate 10% increase in global protein synthesis rates in CHOK1 cells. Stable over-expression of eIF3i in CHOK1 cells was not achievable, most likely due to the already high levels of eIF3i in CHO cells compared to HEK293 cells, but was achieved in HEK293 cells. HEK293 cells engineered to over-express eIF3i had faster growth that was associated with increased c-Myc expression, achieved higher cell biomass and gave enhanced yields of a reporter of recombinant protein production. Whilst CHOK1 cells could not be engineered to over-express eIF3i directly, they could be engineered to over-express eIF3c, which resulted in a subsequent increase in eIF3i amounts and c-Myc expression. The CHOK1 eIF3c engineered cells grew to higher cell numbers and had enhanced cap- and IRES-dependent recombinant protein synthesis. Collectively these data show that engineering of subunits of the eIF3 complex can enhance cell growth and recombinant protein synthesis in mammalian cells in a cell specific manner that has implications for the engineering or selection of fast growing or high producing cells for production of recombinant proteins.     

可调控表达人博卡病毒1型非结构蛋白NS1稳定细胞系的建立及其反式转录激活作用初探

人博卡病毒1型(Human bocavirus 1,HBoV1)非结构蛋白NS1是多功能蛋白,对病毒复制有重要作用,同时可诱导宿主细胞凋亡。在研究NS1蛋白功能时,降低NS1蛋白对宿主细胞的毒性作用是急需解决的问题。基于此,文中建立了可调控表达HBoV1非结构蛋白NS1的稳定细胞系。构建NS1重组慢病毒质粒(含可调控启动子),应用转染试剂将NS1重组慢病毒质粒转染至HEK293T细胞。通过嘌呤霉素筛选抗性细胞、多西环素诱导NS1表达,建立可稳定表达NS1-100、NS1-70蛋白的HEK 293T细胞系,利用荧光标记蛋白和Western blotting检测,确定NS1蛋白的表达。并在稳定表达NS1细胞系中转染HBoV1启动子-荧光素酶基因的质粒,分析NS1的反式转录激活活性。结果表明NS1蛋白可在建立的细胞系中稳定表达,且稳定表达NS1蛋白对HBoV1启动子有较强的激活活性,为进一步研究非结构蛋白NS1的功能及人博卡病毒致病机理奠定了良好的基础。     

人尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活因子截短型突变体与绿色荧光蛋白在真核细胞HEK293F中的融合表达

目的:构建人尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活因子(uPA)截短型突变体与绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)分泌型融合表达载体并在真核细胞中表达。方法:采用PCR法,分别以质粒pIRES2-EGFP和重组质粒pcDNA3.1(+)/uPA为模板,扩增出带BamHⅠ和XbaⅠ酶切位点的EGFP及带NheⅠ和HindⅢ酶切位点的uPA截短体基因片段,先后将EGFP和截短型uPA基因片段克隆到真核表达载体pcDNA3.1(+)上,转入HEK293F细胞,用G418对转染细胞进行加压筛选,通过共聚焦显微镜观察和ELISA方法鉴定表达产物。结果:DNA测序结果显示,uPA不同截短型突变体基因片段与EGFP基因融合的真核表达载体构建成功,共聚焦显微镜观察发现HEK293F细胞中有绿色荧光且定位于细胞质中,ELISA检测到HEK293F细胞培养上清中分泌型融合蛋白的表达。结论:构建了uPA截短型突变体与EGFP分泌型融合表达载体并在真核细胞中表达,为后期研究uPA的相互作用蛋白及其生理功能奠定了基础。     

Dengue virus nonstructural protein NS5 induces interleukin-8 transcription and secretion

Elevated circulating levels of chemokines have been reported in patients with dengue fever and are proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of dengue disease. To establish in vitro models for chemokine induction by dengue 2 virus (DEN2V), we studied a variety of human cell lines and primary cells. DEN2V infection of HepG2 and primary dendritic cells induced the production of interleukin-8 (IL-8), RANTES, MIP-1alpha, and MIP-1beta, whereas only IL-8 and RANTES were induced following dengue virus infection of HEK293 cells. Chemokine secretion was accompanied by an increase in steady-state mRNA levels. No chemokine induction was observed in HEK293 cells treated with poly(I:C) or alpha interferon, suggesting a direct effect of virus infection. To determine the mechanism(s) involved in the induction of chemokine production by DEN2V, individual dengue virus genes were cloned into plasmids and expressed in HEK293 cells. Transfection of a plasmid expressing NS5 or a dengue virus replicon induced IL-8 gene expression and secretion. RANTES expression was not induced under these conditions, however. Reporter assays showed that IL-8 induction by NS5 was principally through CAAT/enhancer binding protein, whereas DEN2V infection also induced NF-kappaB. These results indicate a role for the dengue virus NS5 protein in the induction of IL-8 by DEN2V infection. Recruitment and activation of potential target cells to sites of DEN2V replication by virus-induced chemokine production may contribute to viral replication as well as to the inflammatory components of dengue virus disease.     

Evidence for a sialic acid salvaging pathway in lepidopteran insect cells

We previously described a transgenic insect cell line, Sfbeta4GalT/ST6, that expresses mammalian beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase and alpha2,6-sialyltransferase genes and produces glycoproteins with terminally sialylated N-glycans. The ability of these cells to produce sialylated N-glycans was surprising because insect cells contain only small amounts of sialic acid and no detectable CMP-sialic acid. Thus, it was of interest to investigate potential sources of sialic acids for sialoglycoprotein synthesis by these cells. We found that Sfbeta4GalT/ST6 cells can produce sialylated N-glycans when cultured in the presence but not in the absence of fetal bovine serum. The serum component(s) supporting N-glycan sialylation by Sfbeta4GalT/ST6 cells is relatively large-it was not removed by dialysis in a 50,000-molecular-weight cutoff membrane. Serum-free media supplemented with purified fetuin but not asialofetuin supported N-glycan sialylation by Sfbeta4GalT/ST6 cells. The terminally sialylated N-glycans isolated from fetuin also supported glycoprotein sialylation by Sfbeta4GalT/ST6 cells. Finally, serum-free medium supplemented with N-acetylneuraminic acid or N-acetylmannosamine supported glycoprotein sialylation by Sfbeta4GalT/ST6 cells but to a much lower degree than serum or fetuin. These results provide the first evidence of a sialic acid salvaging pathway in insect cells, which begins to explain how Sfbeta4GalT/ST6 and other transgenic insect cell lines can sialylate recombinant glycoproteins in the absence of a more obvious source of CMP-sialic acid.     

白细胞介素6重组逆转录病毒载体的构建及鉴定

目的 构建特异性过表达大鼠IL-6基因的重组逆转录病毒载体,并在大鼠嗜铬细胞瘤PC12细胞和人胚肾HEK293细胞中检测IL-6的表达。方法以大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞mRNA为模板,经PCR获得目的基因IL-6,将其定向克隆到逆转录病毒载体pSEB-3H中,构建重组逆转录病毒质粒pSEB—IL-6,经脂质体分别转染到PC12细胞和HEK293细胞中,应用Real—timePCR和ELISA的方法在mRNA和蛋白质水平检测IL-6的表达变化。继而用HEK293细胞中包装获得的含有pSEB—IL-6的病毒颗粒进一步感染PC12细胞,Real—timePCR检测,IL-6mRNA的表达水平变化。结果PCR电泳及酶切鉴定证实目的基因正确克隆至逆转录病毒载体中,其基因序列与Genbank报道一致;Real—timePCR和ELISA结果均显示,逆转录病毒质粒pSEB—IL-6转染PC12细胞和HEK293细胞后,IL-6的表达水平较对照组显著上调;经pSEB—IL-6逆转录病毒颗粒感染的PC12细胞中,IL-6mRNA表达水平较对照组提高4倍。结论成功构建了特异性表达大鼠儿-6基因的重组逆转录病毒载体pSEB—IL-6,并获得了具有感染能力的逆转录病毒颗粒,感染真核细胞后可高表达IL-6,为进一步研究IL-6的功能及其在多种疾病中的免疫调节机制提供重要的分子手段。     

Knockdown of KDM2A inhibits proliferation associated with TGF-β expression in HEK293T cell

Lysine-specific demethylase 2A (KDM2A, also known as JHDM1A or FBXL11) plays an important role in regulating cell proliferation. However, the mechanisms on KDM2A controlling cell proliferation are varied among cell types, even controversial conclusions have been drawn. In order to elucidate the functions and underlying mechanisms for KDM2A controlling cell proliferation and apoptosis, we screened a KDM2A knockout HEK293T cell lines by CRISPR–Cas9 to illustrate the effects of KDM2A on both biological process. The results indicate that knocking down expression of KDM2A can significantly weaken HEK293T cell proliferation. The cell cycle analysis via flow cytometry demonstrate that knockdown expression of KDM2A will lead more cells arrested at G2/M phase. Through the RNA-seq analysis of the differential expressed genes between KDM2A knockdown HEK293T cells and wild type, we screened out that TGF-β pathway was significantly downregulated in KDM2A knockdown cells, which indicates that TGF-β signaling pathway might be the downstream target of KDM2A to regulate cell proliferation. When the KDM2A knockdown HEK293T cells were transient-transfected with KDM2A overexpression plasmid or treated by TGF-β agonist hydrochloride, the cell proliferation levels can be partial or completely rescued. However, the TGF-β inhibitor LY2109761 can significantly inhibit the KDM2A WT cells proliferation, but not the KDM2A knockdown HEK293T cells. Taken together, these findings suggested that KDM2A might be a key regulator of cell proliferation and cell cycle via impacting TGF-β signaling pathway.

     

Coexpression of acidic fibroblast growth factor enhances specific productivity and antibody titers in transiently transfected HEK293 cells

Recombinant proteins are of great commercial and scientific interest. However, most current production methods using mammalian cells involve the time- and labor-intensive step of creating stable cell lines. Although production methods based on transient gene expression could offer a significant improvement, transient transfection is currently still limited by low titers and low specific productivity compared to stable cell lines. To overcome these bottlenecks, we have explored the use of various growth factors to enhance specific productivity and titers in the context of transient gene expression. For that purpose, several growth factors were cloned and screened for their effect on transient gene expression in HEK293E and CHO-DG44 cells. In particular, acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) was able to increase specific productivity by 60% and recombinant protein titers by 80% in HEK293E cells, while FGF9 increased titers by 250% in CHO-DG44 cells.     

MKK6重组腺病毒的构建与制备

构建腺病毒穿梭载体pAd RSV ,并将p3 8MAPK (mitogen activatedproteinkinase)的上游激酶MKK6(mitogen activatedproteinkinasekinase 6)及其持续激活和无活性的突变体基因亚克隆到该穿梭载体 .通过与腺病毒DNA(pJM17)在能够表达E1的HEK 2 93细胞同源重组生成了能够表达MKK6信号分子的重组腺病毒 .PCR结果表明 ,这些重组腺病毒DNA的插入片段大小是正确的 .而且 ,通过感染COS 7细胞 ,用免疫激酶活性测定证实这些重组的腺病毒能够表达具有功能的蛋白质 .     

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) host cell engineering to increase sialylation of recombinant therapeutic proteins by modulating sialyltransferase expression

N‐Glycans of human proteins possess both α2,6‐ and α2,3‐linked terminal sialic acid (SA). Recombinant glycoproteins produced in Chinese hamster overy (CHO) only have α2,3‐linkage due to the absence of α2,6‐sialyltransferase (St6gal1) expression. The Chinese hamster ST6GAL1 was successfully overexpressed using a plasmid expression vector in three recombinant immunoglobulin G (IgG)‐producing CHO cell lines. The stably transfected cell lines were enriched for ST6GAL1 overexpression using FITC‐Sambucus nigra (SNA) lectin that preferentially binds α2,6‐linked SA. The presence of α2,6‐linked SA was confirmed using a novel LTQ Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry (LTQ MS) method including MSn fragmentation in the enriched ST6GAL1 Clone 27. Furthermore, the total SA (mol/mol) in IgG produced by the enriched ST6GAL1 Clone 27 increased by 2‐fold compared to the control. For host cell engineering, the CHOZN^® GS host cell line was transfected and enriched for ST6GAL1 overexpression. Single‐cell clones were derived from the enriched population and selected based on FITC‐SNA staining and St6gal1 expression. Two clones (“ST6GAL1 OE Clone 31 and 32”) were confirmed for the presence of α2,6‐linked SA in total host cell protein extracts. ST6GAL1 OE Clone 32 was subsequently used to express SAFC human IgG1. The recombinant IgG expressed in this host cell line was confirmed to have α2,6‐linked SA and increased total SA content. In conclusion, overexpression of St6gal1 is sufficient to produce recombinant proteins with increased sialylation and more human‐like glycoprofiles without combinatorial engineering of other sialylation pathway genes. This work represents our ongoing effort of glycoengineering in CHO host cell lines for the development of “bio‐better” protein therapeutics and cell culture vaccine production. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:334–346, 2015     

一种真核细胞分泌型重组融合蛋白rPC的构建、表达与纯化

抑制性免疫检查点PD-1或CTLA-4靶向治疗药物已用于肿瘤的临床治疗,但单一靶点药物会有耐药发生,联合使用同时封闭多个靶点可提高疗效,因此拟构建一个可封闭多个靶点的新型重组蛋白。首先设计并合成了一个由人类PD-1和CTLA-4两个受体的胞外功能域组成并且C端带6×His标签的分泌型重组融合蛋白rPC编码序列,插入真核细胞表达载体pLVX-IRES-ZsGreen1,稳定转染HEK293细胞,收集细胞培养上清,以亲和方法纯化重组蛋白rPC,通过实时荧光定量PCR检测多个人类肿瘤细胞系中PD-1配体PD-L1、PD-L2和CTLA-4配体CD80、CD86的表达,以选择相对高表达的细胞,利用细胞免疫荧光染色方法检验rPC与肿瘤细胞的结合能力,并用CCK-8法检测rPC是否对肿瘤细胞的生长有影响。结果表明,重组融合蛋白rPC可由稳定转染表达载体的HEK293细胞表达并分泌,纯化后的rPC可以与PD-1和CTLA-4配体表达相对较高的肺癌细胞NCI-H226结合,并且rPC处理对其生长并无直接影响,与预期一致。成功获得的重组融合蛋白rPC可用于进一步的体内外功能研究,也为今后研发新型多靶点肿...     

糖基因在髓性白血病耐药性中特征性改变

目的通过研究糖基因在髓性白血病中的差异表达,明确这些糖基因与白血病耐药的相关性,从而为预测和诊断髓性白血病耐药性,寻求逆转药物提供新策略和靶点。方法采用real-time PCR技术筛选髓性白血病细胞及其耐药细胞株中差异表达的糖基因,筛选出两组细胞差异表达3倍以上的糖基因,初步探索糖基因在髓性白血病耐药性中的特征性改变;采用流式细胞仪分析髓性白血病耐药细胞株与多种FITC标记植物凝集素的结合能力,表征比较细胞膜表面糖链的特征。结果 12个糖基因在NB4和NB4/ADR细胞株中表达具有显著的差异;高表达的糖基因与FITC标记植物凝集素的结合能力增强。结论髓性白血病细胞及其耐药细胞株中糖基因、细胞膜表面糖链特征均有显著差异,这些特征性改变与白血病多药耐药具有相关性。     

Alpha(1,3)-fucosyltransferase VII and alpha(2,3)-sialyltransferase IV are up-regulated in activated CD4 T cells and maintained after their differentiation into Th1 and migration into inflammatory sites.

Activated Th1 CD4 T cells bind to P-selectin and migrate into inflamed tissue, whereas Th2 cells do not. We show that alpha(1, 3)-fucosyltransferase VII (FucT-VII) and alpha(2, 3)-sialyltransferase IV (ST3GalIV), which are crucial for the biosynthesis of functional P-selectin ligands, are absent in naive CD4 T cells, but are rapidly up-regulated upon activation. Th1 or Th2 differentiation in the presence of polarizing cytokines leads to down-regulation of FucT-VII mRNA selectively in Th2 but not in Th1 cells. Influencing the differentiation by varying the priming dose of antigenic peptide results in similar FucT-VII down-regulation only in Ag-specific Th2 cells. ST3GalIV levels remain elevated. FucT-VII and ST3GalIV mRNAs are also up-regulated by Th1 cells primed in vivo and recruited into the lymph nodes draining delayed-type hypersensitivity sites. We identify FucT-VII gene expression as a principal difference between Th1 and Th2 cells, and underscore the importance of FucT-VII and ST3GalIV expression for the biosynthesis of functional selectin ligands.     

High Yield Expression of Recombinant Human Proteins with the Transient Transfection of HEK293 Cells in Suspension

The art of producing recombinant proteins with complex post-translational modifications represents a major challenge for studies of structure and function. The rapid establishment and high recovery from transiently-transfected mammalian cell lines addresses this barrier and is an effective means of expressing proteins that are naturally channeled through the ER and Golgi-mediated secretory pathway. Here is one protocol for protein expression using the human HEK293F and HEK293S cell lines transfected with a mammalian expression vector designed for high protein yields. The applicability of this system is demonstrated using three representative glycoproteins that expressed with yields between 95-120 mg of purified protein recovered per liter of culture. These proteins are the human FcγRIIIa and the rat α2-6 sialyltransferase, ST6GalI, both expressed with an N-terminal GFP fusion, as well as the unmodified human immunoglobulin G1 Fc. This robust system utilizes a serum-free medium that is adaptable for expression of isotopically enriched proteins and carbohydrates for structural studies using mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Furthermore, the composition of the N-glycan can be tuned by adding a small molecule to prevent certain glycan modifications in a manner that does not reduce yield.