mRNA stability and antibody production in CHO cells: Improvement through gene optimization

The productivity of stably transfected cell lines is of critical importance for the manufacturing of therapeutic proteins. Various methods have been successfully implemented to increase the production output of mammalian cell cultures. Increasing evidence suggests that optimization of the gene coding sequences of an expression vector can improve specific cell line yield of the recombinant protein. Here we demonstrate that gene optimization substantially enhances antibody production in Chinese hamster ovary cells. When gene optimization was applied to the heavy and light chain genes of a therapeutic antibody, we observed increased antibody production in transient transfection. Elevated heavy chain mRNA level was associated with the increase of antibody production. Further analysis suggested that the increased antibody expression is attributable to enhanced mRNA stability resulting from gene optimization. Gene optimization also led to increased antibody production in stable clones.     

Studies on the influence of different designs of eukaryotic vectors on the expression of recombinant IgA

Production and application of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are second only to vaccines in the world pharmaceutical market. The most common therapeutic antibodies are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) of the IgG isotype that are produced in eukaryotic CHO cells. In recent years, there has been a considerable interest in developing treatment medications based on IgA antibodies, which can have a wide range of effector functions on human mucous membranes. To study the expression level of immunoglobulin A (IgA) in mammal cells, we designed a set of bipromoter (CMV and EF1α) vectors. The vectors contain gene fragments that encode the heavy chain variable domain (VH) and the light chain variable domain (VL) of the human monoclonal antibody FI6v3 against the hemagglutinin of influenza virus A. They also contain gene fragments that encode the light chain (kappa type) constant domain and the heavy chain constant domain of the human antibody IgA1. The expression vectors differed in the orientation of the promoters and the presence or absence of introns. Two variants of the full-length light and heavy chains were cloned into a eukaryotic expression vector in head-to-head and head-to-tail orientations. The resulting plasmids were transfected into CHO-DG44 and HEK-293T cells. The antibody expression level for the stable transfection of CHO-DG44 and HEK-293T cell cultures was determined by ELISA. The results of the experiments showed that the expression of FI6v3-IgA1 antibodies significantly increased when eukaryotic cells were transfected with the plasmid pBiPr-ABIgA1FI6-Iht in which the heavy chain of IgA1 contains introns and the promoters are arranged head-to-tail.     

Modifications of a signal sequence for antibody secretion from insect cells

Monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments have recently been developed for use in diverse diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Insect cells can efficiently secrete recombinant proteins such as antibody molecules through post-translational processing and modifications that are similar to those performed in mammalian cells. In eukaryotic cells, the signal sequence in a nascent polypeptide is recognized by the signal recognition particle, and the polypeptide is then folded and modified in the endoplasmic reticulum. The signal sequence consists of three regions, a positively charged N-terminus, a hydrophobic core, and a polar C-terminus. In the present study, we examined the substitutions of the characteristic amino acids of a Drosophila immunoglobulin heavy chain binding protein signal sequence, and investigated the effect on the secretory production of an antibody Fab fragment from lepidopteran insect cells in transient expression. A modification of the signal sequence for the heavy chain resulted in a twofold increase in the secreted Fab fragment, while the modification for the light chain led to a more than 3.6-fold increase.     

The hierarchy of mutations influencing the folding of antibody domains in Escherichia coli.

In a systematic study of the periplasmic folding of antibody fragments in Escherichia coli, we have analysed the expression of an aggregation-prone and previously non-functional anti-phosphorylcholine antibody, T15, as a model system and converted it to a functional molecule. Introduction of heavy chain framework mutations previously found to improve the folding of a related antibody led to improved folding of T15 fragments and improved physiology of the host E.coli cells. Manipulation of the complementarity determining regions (CDR) of the framework-mutated forms of T15 further improved folding and bacterial host physiology, but no improvement was seen in the wild type, suggesting the existence of a hierarchy in sequence positions leading to aggregation. Rational mutagenesis of the T15 light chain led to the production of functional T15 fragments for the first time, with increased levels of functional protein produced from V(H) manipulated constructs. We propose that a hierarchical analysis of the primary amino acid sequence, as we have described, provides guidelines on how correctly folding, functional antibodies might be achieved and will allow further delineation of the decisive structural factors and pathways favouring protein aggregation.     

双载体转重链Tyr664Cys和轻链Thr1286Cys突变体BDD-FVⅢ基因

摘要用双载体转运凝血VⅢ因子基因在甲型血友病基因治疗研究中可克服AAV毒载体容量限制,但存在重链分泌低效和链不均衡性问题。为探索重、轻链间二硫键形成对重链分泌的促进作用,该丈用双载体转B结构域大部缺失型FVⅢ（BDD-FVⅢ）的重链和轻链基因,将重链的Tyr664和轻链Thr1826突变为Cys,研究了HEK293细胞共转基因后的基因表达、分泌至培养上清的重链量和凝血生物活性。用Western blot检测细胞裂解液结果显示,非还原条件下有明显的二硫键交联的重、轻链蛋白;链特异性ELISA定量检测细胞分泌的重链为（125＋29）ng／mL,明显高于共转野生型重链和轻链基因细胞的（75＋23）ng／mL;Coatest法显示细胞分泌的凝血活性为（0．784±0．29）U／mL．也明显高于共转野生型重链和轻链基因细胞（0．34＋0．12）U／mL。结果表明,重、轻链间的二硫键形成可提高双载体转FVⅢ基因的功效,为进一步在动物体内转基因提供了实验依据。     

Aglycosylated antibodies and antibody fragments produced in a scalable in vitro transcription-translation system

We describe protein synthesis, folding and assembly of antibody fragments and full-length aglycosylated antibodies using an Escherichia coli-based open cell-free synthesis (OCFS) system. We use DNA template design and high throughput screening at microliter scale to rapidly optimize production of single-chain Fv (scFv) and Fab antibody fragments that bind to human IL-23 and IL-13α1R, respectively. In addition we demonstrate production of aglycosylated immunoglobulin G (IgG₁) trastuzumab. These antibodies are produced rapidly over several hours in batch mode in standard bioreactors with linear scalable yields of hundreds of milligrams/L over a 1 million-fold change in scales up to pilot scale production. We demonstrate protein expression optimization of translation initiation region (TIR) libraries from gene synthesized linear DNA templates, optimization of the temporal assembly of a Fab from independent heavy chain and light chain plasmids and optimized expression of fully assembled trastuzumab that is equivalent to mammalian expressed material in biophysical and affinity based assays. These results illustrate how the open nature of the cell-free system can be used as a seamless antibody engineering platform from discovery to preclinical development of aglycosylated monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments as potential therapeutics.     

抗体重链可变区框架Ⅰ区对抗体分泌的影响

抗体重链可变区框架Ⅰ区(FR-Ⅰ)对抗体在原核细胞中的分泌表达具有显著的影响,单个氨基酸的改变即可导致抗体分子分泌能力的丧失.为了探索抗体在哺乳动物细胞中的高效表达,我们对一株不能有效分泌的人源抗狂犬病病毒抗体pCMV-RV/VH的FR-Ⅰ区氨基酸编码基因进行定点突变研究.实验显示,抗体重链可变区FR-Ⅰ区H6位的氨基酸由Glu突变为Gin之后,抗体的分泌表达水平得到了显著的提高,并且与抗原特异性结合的能力也明显增强.通过免疫荧光法对抗体在细胞内的转运过程进行了初步的探讨,发现能够有效分泌的抗体与无分泌表达的抗体都能够在细胞内进行正常的转录和翻译,进入内质网并转运至高尔基体,而且胞内表达水平基本一致.我们认为分泌能力的不同可能是FR-Ⅰ区影响抗体分子的折叠与装配所致,其中该区H6位氨基酸的性质能够显著影响抗体在哺乳动物细胞中的分泌.本研究以抗体重链可变区FR-Ⅰ区氨基酸为焦点,对基因工程抗体在真核细胞中高效表达的影响因素进行了探索,为改进抗体规模化生产提供了依据.     

Expression of antibodies using single‐open reading frame vector design and polyprotein processing from mammalian cells

We describe a novel polyprotein precursor‐based approach to express antibodies from mammalian cells. Rather than expressing heavy and light chain proteins from separate expression units, the antibody heavy and light chains are contained in one single‐open reading frame (sORF) separated by an intein gene fused in frame. Inside mammalian cells this ORF is transcribed into a single mRNA, and translated into one polypeptide. The antibody heavy and light chains are separated posttranslationally, assembled into the functional antibody molecule, and secreted into culture medium. It is demonstrated that Pol I intein from P. horikoshii mediates protein splicing and cleavage reactions in mammalian cells, in the context of antibody heavy and light chain amino acid sequences. To allow the separation of antibody heavy chain, light chain, and the intein, we investigated a number of intein mutations designed to inhibit intein‐mediated splicing but preserve cleavage reactions. We have also designed constructs in which the signal peptide downstream from intein has altered hydrophobicity. The use of some of these mutant constructs resulted in more efficient antibody secretion, highlighting areas that can be further explored in improving such an expression system. An antibody secreted using one of the sORF constructs was characterized. This antibody has correct N‐terminal sequences for both of its heavy and light chains, correct heavy and light chain MW as well as intact MW as measured by mass spectrometry. Its affinity to antigen, as measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR), is indistinguishable from that of the same antibody produced using conventional method. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

双载体转重链Tyr664Cys和轻链Thr1286Cys突变体BDD-FⅧ基因

用双载体转运凝血Ⅷ因子基因在甲型血友病基因治疗研究中可克服AAV毒载体容量限制,但存在重链分泌低效和链不均衡性问题。为探索重、轻链间二硫键形成对重链分泌的促进作用,该文用双载体转B结构域大部缺失型FⅧ(BDD-FVⅢ)的重链和轻链基因,将重链的Tyr664和轻链Thr1826突变为Cys,研究了HEK293细胞共转基因后的基因表达、分泌至培养上清的重链量和凝血生物活性。用Western blot检测细胞裂解液结果显示,非还原条件下有明显的二硫键交联的重、轻链蛋白;链特异性ELISA定量检测细胞分泌的重链为(125±29)ng/mL,明显高于共转野生型重链和轻链基因细胞的(75±23)ng/mL;Coatest法显示细胞分泌的凝血活性为(0.78±0.29)U/mL,也明显高于共转野生型重链和轻链基因细胞(0.34±0.12)U/mL。结果表明,重、轻链间的二硫键形成可提高双载体转FⅧ基因的功效,为进一步在动物体内转基因提供了实验依据。     

Aglycosylated antibodies and antibody fragments produced in a scalable in vitro transcription-translation system

We describe protein synthesis, folding and assembly of antibody fragments and full-length aglycosylated antibodies using an Escherichia coli-based open cell-free synthesis (OCFS) system. We use DNA template design and high throughput screening at microliter scale to rapidly optimize production of single-chain Fv (scFv) and Fab antibody fragments that bind to human IL-23 and IL-13α1R, respectively. In addition we demonstrate production of aglycosylated immunoglobulin G (IgG1) trastuzumab. These antibodies are produced rapidly over several hours in batch mode in standard bioreactors with linear scalable yields of hundreds of milligrams/L over a 1 million-fold change in scales up to pilot scale production. We demonstrate protein expression optimization of translation initiation region (TIR) libraries from gene synthesized linear DNA templates, optimization of the temporal assembly of a Fab from independent heavy chain and light chain plasmids and optimized expression of fully assembled trastuzumab that is equivalent to mammalian expressed material in biophysical and affinity based assays. These results illustrate how the open nature of the cell-free system can be used as a seamless antibody engineering platform from discovery to preclinical development of aglycosylated monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments as potential therapeutics.Key words: cell-free protein synthesis, Fab antibody, aglycosylated antibodies, HER2, trastuzumab     

Maximizing antibody production in a targeted integration host by optimization of subunit gene dosage and position

Historically, therapeutic protein production in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells has been accomplished by random integration (RI) of expression plasmids into the host cell genome. More recently, the development of targeted integration (TI) host cells has allowed for recombination of plasmid DNA into a predetermined genomic locus, eliminating one contributor to clone-to-clone variability. In this study, a TI host capable of simultaneously integrating two plasmids at the same genomic site was used to assess the effect of antibody heavy chain and light chain gene dosage on antibody productivity. Our results showed that increasing antibody gene copy number can increase specific productivity, but with diminishing returns as more antibody genes are added to the same TI locus. Random integration of additional antibody DNA copies in to a targeted integration cell line showed a further increase in specific productivity, suggesting that targeting additional genomic sites for gene integration may be beneficial. Additionally, the position of antibody genes in the two plasmids was observed to have a strong effect on antibody expression level. These findings shed light on vector design to maximize production of conventional antibodies or tune expression for proper assembly of complex or bispecific antibodies in a TI system.     

Structural organization and expression of the gene for bovine myosin I heavy chain.

Brush border myosin I heavy chain (MIHC), known previously as the brush border 110-kDa protein, contains an amino-terminal sequence which is highly homologous to the globular head domain of conventional myosin II heavy chain (MIIHC). The carboxyl-terminal sequence of MIHC completely diverges from that of MIIHC and functions as calmodulin-binding and membrane-interaction sites. In this investigation, we determined the structural organization of the bovine MIHC by isolating a set of genomic segments containing the whole MIHC gene. The bovine MIHC gene is 26 kilobase pairs long and consists of 28 exons. At the homologous amino-terminal portion of MIHC, many introns are located at positions equivalent to those of the rat MIIHC gene and the amoeba MIHC gene. At the carboxyl-terminal sequence of MIHC, the putative calmodulin-binding and membrane-interacting domains are specified by discrete sets of exons. These findings support the view that the amino-terminal head portions of MIHC and MIIHC evolved from a common ancestral origin and also that the MIHC protein was generated as a result of fusion of discrete genomic segments encoding different functional and structural protein domains. Analysis of tissue expression of the MIHC mRNA was also extended in this investigation, and the results indicated that this mRNA is expressed in some tissues other than the intestines.     

Expression of mouse immunoglobulin light and heavy chain variable regions in Escherichia coli and reconstitution of antigen-binding activity

The expression of immunoglobulin heavy and light chain variable regions in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli and formation of a functional heterodimer has been demonstrated. Variable domain sequences were taken from the heavy and light chain cDNAs of the monoclonal antibody Gloop 2 and engineered for expression in a dual origin expression vector. The engineered genes vhg2 and vlg2 were separately subcloned into the vector, creating two expression plasmids. Expression of the heavy and light chain variable region genes (encoding 116 and 109 amino acids respectively) was investigated in eight E. coli strains; the polypeptides were rapidly degraded in a host strain optimized for expression and in E. coli strains deficient in the major protease La (lon-). Accumulation was permitted in severely protease-deficient E. coli having a defective heat-shock response. A lon- mutation in this genetic background permitted even higher accumulation. Expression levels were 7 and 1% of total bacterial protein for light and heavy chain variable regions respectively. Expression of the heavy chain variable region gene was increased by including a longer Shine-Dalgarno sequence. Similar constructions in the light chain vector had no effect on expression levels. The insoluble variable region polypeptides were reconstituted into a heterodimer possessing the full antigen binding characteristics of both the parent monoclonal antibody and its Fab fragment.     

The effect of dihydrofolate reductase-mediated gene amplification on the expression of transfected immunoglobulin genes

Murine/human chimeric gamma 1 and K Ig genes were cloned adjacent to the gene coding for methotrexate-resistant dihydrofolate reductase. These constructs were introduced into myeloma cells, and lines containing stably integrated genes were selected. The integrated Ig genes were then amplified by selection of the cells in increasing concentrations of methotrexate. The extent of gene amplification, mRNA accumulation, and production of Ig was studied in transfectomas containing introduced light chain genes, heavy chain genes, or both. When the light chain gene was introduced alone, it was expressed at low levels, but after selection with methotrexate, light chain expression was increased as much as 63-fold. In contrast, the transfected heavy chain genes were highly expressed, but production of the corresponding protein was increased a maximum of only fourfold by methotrexate treatment. Cellular toxicity of unassembled heavy chain monomer was not observed, even at amounts equivalent to 2% of total cellular protein. Cointroduction of the heavy and light chain constructs with subsequent amplification resulted in as much as 25-fold increase in secretion of intact antibody relative to unamplified cells. The results demonstrate that amplification of Ig genes can induce transfectomas to secrete antibody at nearly the rate of hybridomas.     

Assembly and plasma membrane targeting of recombinant immunoglobulin chains in plants with a murine immunoglobulin transmembrane sequence

The cDNA encoding a full-length murine immunoglobulin 1 heavy chain with its native leader sequence, transmembrane and intracellular domains was introduced into transgenic plants. Transformed plants expressed the recombinant polypeptide, but, in contrast to plants expressing the heavy chain without transmembrane sequence, the protein appeared to be associated with a plant cell membrane. Extraction of the membrane-associated heavy chain required the presence of a non-ionic detergent, and immunofluorescence studies of protoplasts demonstrated surface expression of membrane Ig heavy chain on up to 40% of the cells from a transgenic leaf. In plants expressing both the membrane Ig heavy chain and its partner light chain, functional antibody was also localised to the plant cell membrane and retention of the heavy chain at this site appeared to have no effect on the efficiency of antibody assembly. This approach of localising and accumulating recombinant antibody in cell membranes may have a number of applications, including passive immunisation against plant pathogens.     

Optimization of the expression of equistatin in Pichia pastoris.

To improve the expression of equistatin, a proteinase inhibitor from the sea anemone Actinia equina, in the yeast Pichia pastoris, we prepared gene variants with yeast-preferred codon usage and lower repetitive AT and GC content. The full gene optimization approximately doubled the level of steady-state mRNA and protein accumulated in the culture medium. The removal of a short stretch of 12 additional nucleotides from the multiple cloning site (MCS) sequence in the vector pPIC9 had an enhancement effect similar to full gene optimization (factor 1.5) at the mRNA level. However, at the protein level, this increase was 4- to 10-fold. The optimized gene without the MCS sequence yielded 1.66 g/L active protein in a bioreactor and was purified by a new two-step procedure with a recovery of activity that was >95%. This production level constitutes an overall improvement of about 20-fold relative to our previously published results. The characteristics of the MCS sequence element are discussed in the light of its apparent ability to act as negative expression regulator.     

Effect of increased expression of protein disulfide isomerase and heavy chain binding protein on antibody secretion in a recombinant CHO cell line

Previous work has shown that a human-antibody-producing recombinant CHO cell line did not increase its intracellular content of protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and heavy chain binding protein (BIP) according to the increasing expression of antibody. It was also found that the intracellular assembly of light and heavy chain is a major limiting factor for overall cell specific productivity, as secretion rates improve with higher light chain expression levels and heavy chain accumulates intracellularly when too little light chain is present. As these CHO cells had a significantly lower intracellular PDI content compared to that of hybridoma cells, these results have led us to try to overcome the limitation in the posttranslational assembly in the endoplasmatic reticulum. Recombinant CHO cells were transfected with PDI or BIP alone or in combination, and the effect on intracellular light and heavy chain content and specific production rate was determined. Overexpression of BIP, both alone and in combination with PDI, reduced the specific secretion rate, whereas PDI, when overexpressed alone, caused an increase of product secretion rate.     

BiP表达下调改善双载体转断裂FVIII基因的功效

双载体转凝血Ⅷ因子（FⅧ）基因可作为一种转基因策略克服腺相关病毒(AAV)载体容量限制,但重链分泌的低效性影响转基因功效. 为提高重链分泌,本文用RNA干扰技术下调内质网内蛋白伴侣分子免疫球蛋白重链结合蛋白(BiP)的表达,观察对HEK293细胞双载体共转FⅧ基因分泌重链和生物活性的影响. 结果显示,RNA干扰可明显下调BiP表达,但不影响细胞生长; ELISA检测BiP下调细胞单独转重链基因时的重链分泌量为98±38 ng/mL,与轻链共转基因时显著升高到157±32 ng/mL,明显高于对照细胞单独转重链基因和共转重链和轻链基因的重链分泌量(分别为29±8 ng/mL和79±19 ng/mL);Cotest法检测显示,BiP下调细胞共转重链和轻链基因细胞分泌的凝血生物活性为0.73±0.23 IU/mL,明显高于对照细胞共转重链和轻链基因(0.39±0.07 IU/mL). 结果表明, BiP表达下调通过促进重链分泌,可提高双载体共转FⅧ基因的功效,为进一步动物体内双AAV载体转FⅧ基因的甲型血友病基因治疗研究提供了实验依据.