Chemically defined medium for the production of biologically active substances of CHO cells

A recombinant CHO cell line (GT19) secreting a high level of human growth hormone (hGH) was constructed with amplification of the introduced hGH gene. The cells grew well in the alpha MEM medium supplemented with 5% dialyzed fetal calf serum (dFCS), but not with less than 1% dFCS. Therefore we examined various medium components and obtained an improved medium which supported cell growth at low serum concentrations. The production of hGH by the cells was also enhanced in this medium.Abbreviations CHO Chinese hamster ovary - hGH human growth hormone - dFCS dialyzed fetal calf serum - dhfr dihydroforate reductase - MTX methotrexate     

Development and manufacturability assessment of chemically‐defined medium for the production of protein therapeutics in CHO cells

Advantages of using internally developed chemically‐defined (CD) media for cell culture‐based therapeutic protein production over commercial media include better raw material control and medium vendor options, and most importantly, flexibility for process development and subsequent optimization needed for therapeutic protein production. Through several rounds of design of experiment (DOE) screening, and medium component supplementation and optimization studies, we successfully developed a CD basal medium (CDM) for CHO cell culture. The internally prepared liquid CDM demonstrated comparable cell culture performance to that from a commercially available control medium. However, when the same CDM formulation was transferred to two major commercial medium suppliers for manufacturing, cell culture performance utilizing these newly prepared media was significantly reduced compared with the in‐house prepared counterpart. An investigation was launched to assess whether key medium components were sensitive to large‐scale preparation of the final bulk media by the vendors. Further work necessitated the reformulation of the original CDM formulation into a core medium that was suitable for large‐scale media manufacturing. The modified preparation of the core medium with two separate supplements to generate the final CDM was able to recover the expected cell culture performance and monoclonal antibody (mAb) productivity. Confirmation of cell culture robustness in cell growth and production was corroborated in two additional mAb‐expressing cell lines. This work demonstrates that a robust CD medium is not only one that performs during the development stage, but also one that must be reproducible by commercial media vendors. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:1163–1171, 2015     

Effects of zinc,selenium, and calcium on the nephrotoxicity of cadmium in primary cultures of rat renal proximal epithelial cells

The influence of essential metals, like zinc, selenium, and calcium, on the nephrotoxicity of cadmium was studied in primary cultures of rat proximal tubular cells. Damage to kidney cells was assessed by measuring the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GTP), and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) from cells into the medium and the cellular concentration of protein. Incubation with 200 μM cadmium in the presence of equivalent molar or lower concentrations of zinc and selenium showed greater release of LDH and NAG than cadmium alone, indicating an enhanced effect. However, metallothionein (MT) induced by pretreatment with a nontoxic concentration of zinc decreased significantly the release of enzyme from cells and elevated cellular protein levels in response to MT levels. MT provided partial protection against the nephrotoxicity of cadmium. Decreased calcium levels in the incubation medium also resulted in markedly increased release of LDH and NAG from cells exposed to cadmium and reduced cellular protein levels. These findings suggest that variations in zinc and calcium intake may affect the development of cadmium-induced renal dysfunction.     

A defined medium for and the effect of insulin on the growth,amino acid transport,and morphology of chinese hamster ovary cells,CHO-K1 (CCL 61) and the isolation of insulin “independent” mutants

Summary Insulin, FeSO₄, or transferrin are major requirements together with HEPES buffer and selenium for the growth of CHO-K1 (CCL 61) in a modified F12 medium (M-F12). Insulin stimulates growth at 1 ng/ml to 10 μg/ml. In the defined medium minus insulin, CHO-K1 grows slowly as elongated, elliptical cells in parallel arrays typical of normal diploid fibroblasts in contrast to round-to-cuboid cells in loosely overlapping arrays in the presence of serum or insulin. During prolonged incubation in the absence of insulin the cells gather up into a large spherical cluster of viable cells. Insulin “independent” mutants have been isolated whose growth rate during exponential phase in the absence of insulin (48 h to 84 or 96 hrs) is 2.7 to 3.6 times that of the parental culture. Insulin stimulates the growth of these variants only during the first 48 h and is inhibitory at 50 to 500 ng/ml during the exponential phase. Insulin induction of the A system of amino acid transport occurs in about 8 h and requires both protein and RNA synthesis. This work was supported in part by National Science Foundation Grant PCM 7903242 and by the University of California.     

Investigation of reduced serum and serum-free media for the cultivation of insect cells (Bm5) and the production of baculovirus (BmNPV)

An experimental study has been carried out to investigate the effectivenes of several reduced serum and serum-free media for the cultivation of an ovarian cell line, Bm5, of the lepidopteran insect Bombyx mori. Bm5 cell were successfully adapted to grow in a medium containing 5% serum and a serum-free medium (EX-CELL 400). On the other hand, this cell line could not be adapted to grow in several other media suggested in the literature, including IPL-41 + 2% fetal bovine serum (FBS), SF-900, and a serum-free medium (ISFM). Furthermore, a comparative study was conducted to determine the production levels of B. mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) in Bm5 cells cultured in three different medium formulations. The production levels of BmNPV in adapted Bm5 cells grown in a 5% serum-supplemented medium and a serum-free medium (EX-CELL 400) were comparable to those obtained in Bm5 cells grown 10% serum-supplemented medium. (c) 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Design of serum-free medium for suspension culture of CHO cells on the basis of general commercial media

The design of serum-free media for suspension culture of genetically engineered Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using general commercial media as a basis was investigated. Subcultivation using a commercial serum-free medium containing insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 with or without FCS necessitated additives other than IGF-1 to compensate for the lack of FCS and improve cell growth. Suspension culture with media containing several combinations of growth factors suggested the effectiveness of addition of both IGF-1 and the lipid signaling molecule lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) for promoting cell growth. Subcultivation of CHO cells in suspension culture using the commercial serum-free medium EX-CELL™302, which contained an IGF-1 analog, supplemented with LPA resulted in gradually increasing specific growth rate comparable to the serum-containing medium and in almost the same high antibody production regardless of the number of generations. The culture with EX-CELL™302 supplemented with LPA in a jar fermentor with pH control at 6.9 showed an apparently higher cell growth rate than the cultures without pH control and with pH control at 6.8. The cell growth in the medium supplemented with aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA), which was much cheaper than IGF-1, in combination with LPA was synergistically promoted similarly to that in the medium supplemented with IGF-1 and LPA. In conclusion, the serum-free medium designed on the basis of general commercial media could support the growth of CHO cells and antibody production comparable to serum-containing medium in suspension culture. Moreover, the possibility of cost reduction by the substitution of IGF-1 with ATA was also shown.     

Proliferation of epithelial cells derived from rat dorsolateral prostate in serum-free primary cell culture and their response to androgen

Summary Primary cultured epithelial cells derived from the rat dorsolateral prostate proliferated in serum-free nutrient medium WAJC 404 supplemented with mitogens: insulin (650 nM), cholera toxin (120 pM), epidermal growth factor (EGF) (2.5 nM), dexamethasone (300 nM), and bovine pituitary extract (25 μg/ml). The culture consisted of two types of epithelial cell colonies: one originated from single cells or small cell aggregates and the other was epithelial cell outgrowth from small tissue fragments attached to a substratum. There were differences in requirements for the mitogens between the two types of colonies. Requirements for cholera toxin, bovine pituitary extract, and dexamethasone were higher in the former type of colonies, and those for EGF were higher in the latter type of colonies. Proliferation of the epithelial cells in either type, of colony was suppressed more than 50% by 1 nM dihydrotestosterone. This suppressive effect was not mediated by stromal component in the tissue fragments, and was counteracted by cyproterone acetate, indicating specific and direct action of the androgen on prostate epithelial cells. The results suggest that there is discrete participation of polypeptide growth factors and androgen in proliferation and differentiation, respectively, of prostate epithelial cells in vivo.     

原代地鼠肾细胞及狂犬病毒不同培养方式的研究

目的通过比较原代地鼠肾细胞在转瓶、微载体、细胞工厂的3种培养方式的培养效果,为原代地鼠肾细胞选择一种易扩大规模、培养高质量细胞的培养方式,进而提高狂犬病毒的产量。方法消化取得的细胞悬液分别在转瓶、微载体、细胞工厂中培养,通过显微镜观察细胞形态、计数等结果比对培养的差别。结果细胞工厂可以很好地培养原代地鼠肾细胞和狂犬病毒;而细胞在微载体上贴附性差,生长不好。结论实验结果表明细胞工厂可以取代转瓶,用于大规模培养原代地鼠肾细胞扩大狂犬病毒的产量。     

通络救脑注射液对大鼠脑微血管内皮细胞活性 及其条件培养液影响的初步研究

目的：观察通络救脑注射液对正常及拟缺血大鼠脑微血管内皮细胞的活性影响,并初步探讨细胞条件培养液内蛋白分泌的时效特征、奠定可溶性蛋白深入分析的技术基础。方法：通络救脑注射液作用于正常夏拟缺血脑微血管内皮细胞之后,用MTS／PMS比色分析法测定细胞的活性,Bradford法测定细胞培养液总蛋白含量,比色分析法测定细胞培养液乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）漏出值,同步观察了5个时间点的细胞活性及条件培养液总蛋白量及LDH释放量。结果：通络救脑注射液能够提高拟缺血细胞的活性,且抑制LDH释放量;正常组分泌总蛋白量3h达到高峰,此时细胞活性最佳,LDH释放量亦少。拟缺血组分泌总蛋白量是6h达到高峰,此时LDH释放量最少,但细胞活性与3h比较有所下降。结论：通络救脑注射液对拟缺血细胞损伤具有保护作用：以3h至6h的细胞条件培养液做为收集目标是研究条件培养液的最佳时间段。     

A simple defined medium for growth and maintenance of the mixotrophic protist Ochromonas danica

A simple-defined medium was formulated that allows robust axenic-growth of the model mixotrophic protist Ochromonas danica at a neutral pH. This new defined medium, with a minimum number of constituents, facilitates more highly controlled studies of mixotrophic metabolism and nutrient regeneration than have previously been possible.     

Development and improvement of a serum-free suspension process for the production of recombinant adenoviral vectors using HEK293 cells

Human Embryonic Kidney 293 (HEK293) cells were adapted into a serum-free suspension medium through steps of gradual serum weaning for the production of adenoviral (AdV) gene therapy vectors. The presence of sodium heparin in the medium formulation reduced cell clumping dramatically in suspension culture. The adapted cells were ready to grow either in serum-containing medium as an attached culture or in serum-free medium in suspension culture. A scalable production process was developed in shake flasks and was then evaluated in stirred tank bioreactors. This process includes a growth phase in batch-mode followed by a production phase involving medium perfusion and supplementation. Fortification with calcium chloride post viral inoculation resulted in an increase in virus production by at least one fold. Addition of stimulating agents such as sodium butyrate, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO), or ethyl alcohol post infection was shown to further improve virus production in a dose-dependent manner. The serum-free suspension process described here should be suitable for the manufacturing of other E1-deleted AdV vectors and could potentially be used for the production of recombinant proteins by HEK293 cells. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A method for estimating free Ca within human red blood cells,with an application to the study of their Ca-dependent K permeability

Summary Murphy, Coll, Rich and Williamson (J. Biol. Chem. 255:6600–6608, 1980) described a null-point method for estimating intracellular free Ca in liver cells. They used digitonin to lyse the cells in solutions of varying Ca concentration. This method has been adapted for use with human red cells. The values found are about 0.4 m Ca in fresh cells, and from 0.4 to 0.7 m Ca in blood-bank cells, at pH 7.2 and 37°C. These are likely to be overestimates, and the errors and limitations of the method are discussed. Red cells may be loaded with Ca by metabolic depletion in Ca-containing solutions. Such cells have an elevated K permeability, and the relationships between free Ca, total Ca and K permeability were investigated, using⁸⁶Rb as a tracer for K.⁸⁶Rb flux studies show that the affinity of the K channel for Ca is the same in cells as in resealed ghosts where intracellular Ca can be controlled with Ca buffers, but the rate of tracer equilibration is 3–6 times faster in ghosts than in cells.     

Mitochondrial uncoupling protein-2 is not involved in palmitate-induced impairment of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in INS-1E insulinoma cells and is not needed for the amplification of insulin release

We have recently shown that overnight exposure of INS-1E insulinoma cells to palmitate in the presence of high glucose causes defects in both mitochondrial energy metabolism and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Here we report experiments designed to test the involvement of mitochondrial uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) in these glucolipotoxic effects. Measuring real-time oxygen consumption in siRNA-transfected INS-1E cells, we show that deleterious effects of palmitate on the glucose sensitivity of mitochondrial respiration and on the coupling efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation are independent of UCP2. Consistently, palmitate impairs GSIS to the same extent in cells with and without UCP2. Furthermore, we knocked down UCP2 in spheroid INS-1E cell clusters (pseudoislets) to test whether or not UCP2 regulates insulin secretion during prolonged glucose exposure. We demonstrate that there are no differences in temporal GSIS kinetics between perifused pseudoislets with and without UCP2. We conclude that UCP2 is not involved in palmitate-induced impairment of GSIS in INS-1E insulinoma cells and is not needed for the amplification of insulin release. These conclusions inform ongoing debate on the disputed biochemical and physiological functions of the beta cell UCP2.     

Acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor bind with differing affinity to the same heparan sulfate proteoglycan on BALB/c 3T3 cells: Implications for potentiation of growth factor action by heparin

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans on the cell surface act as low affinity binding sites for acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) [Moscatelli (1887): J Cell Physiol 131:123–130] and play an important role in the interaction of FGF with the FGF receptor (FGFR). In this study, several aspects of the interaction of FGFs with cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans were examined. Reciprocal cross blocking studies demonstrated that acidic FGF (aFGF) and basic FGF (bFGF) bind to identical or closely associated heparan sulfate motifs on BALB/c 3T3 cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans. However, the binding affinity of the two growth factros for these heparan sulfate proteoglycans differs considerably, competition binding data indicating that aFGF has a 4.7-fold lower affinity than bFGF for 3T3 heparan sulfate proteoglycan. Subsequent studies of dissociation kinetics demonstrated that bFGF dissociates form the FGFR at least 10-fold slower than aFGF, whereas, following removal of cell surface heparan sulfate proteoplycan. Subsequent studies of dissociation kinetic demonstrated that bFGF dissociates from the FGFR at least 10-fold slwer than aFGF, whereas, following removal of cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans by heparinase treatment, the dissociation rate of both FGFs is similar and rapid. These results support the concept that cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans stabilize the interactio fo FGF with FGFR, possibly by the formatin of a ternary complex. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Characterized full-length and truncated plasmid clones of the crystal protein of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD-73 and their toxicity to Manduca sexta

Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD-73 produces a crystal protein which is lethal to many lepidopteran larvae. The gene encoding this crystal protein has been isolated from a 75-kb plasmid and engineered into a recombinant Escherichia coli plasmid for analysis. The complete nucleotide sequences of the coding region and 387-bp 5' and 376-bp 3' to the coding region have been determined. The 3537-bp of the coding region specify a protein of Mr 133 330. The full-length gene and several 3' -truncated derivatives of the gene were examined in both E. coli and in an E. coli minicell-expression system to determine if the carboxy end of the protein is essential for toxicity. The results presented here provide the primary structure of the crystal protein gene and show that the N-terminal 68-kDal peptide is toxic, but at a lower level than the full-length gene product.     

Analysis of the inducible MEL1 gene of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis and its secreted product, alpha-galactosidase (melibiase)

We have determined both the nucleotide sequence of the MEL1 gene of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis and the N-terminal amino acid (aa) sequence of its extracellular gene product, alpha-galactosidase (melibiase) (alpha-Gal). The predicted translation product of MEL1 is a pre-alpha-Gal protein containing an 18 aa N-terminal signal sequence for secretion. The purified enzyme is a dimer consisting of two 50-kDal polypeptides, each of which is glycosylated with no more than eight side chains. The 5'-flank of the MEL1 gene contains a region (UASm) having certain areas of sequence homology to similar sites found upstream of the structural genes GAL1, GAL7 and GAL10, which are also regulated by the action of the products of genes GAL4 and GAL80. There are three TATA boxes between UASm and the initiation codon of pre-alpha-Gal, as well as a typical yeast cleavage/polyadenylation sequence in the 3'-flank of the gene.     

Alpha-V-dependent outside-in signaling is required for the regulation of CD44 surface expression, MMP-2 secretion, and cell migration by osteopontin in human melanoma cells

The level of integrin alpha(v)beta3 and its ligand osteopontin (OPN) has been directly correlated to tumorigenicity of melanoma and other cancer cells. We have previously shown an increase in pp(60c-Src) kinase activity associated with integrin alpha(v)beta3 in melanoma cells (M21) treated with soluble OPN. pp(60c-Src) kinase activity was not observed in melanoma cells expressing alpha(v) that lacks the cytoplasmic domain (alpha(v)995). Results of the current study demonstrate that the amino acid sequence '995RPPQEEQERE1004' in the beta-turn of alpha(v) chain is required for the interaction of pp(60c-Src). Our results suggest that the beta-turn of alpha(v) chain may be indispensable for alpha(v)-associated signaling complex formation and outside-in signaling. To further analyze the alpha(v)beta3 signaling in melanoma cells, we over expressed OPN in M21 cells (M21/OPN). CD44 surface expression and MMP-2 activity in the conditioned medium were increased to a greater extent in M21/OPN cells as compared with M21 or alpha(v)995 cells. Also, M21/OPN cells exhibit increased motility, which is markedly reduced upon treatment with inhibitors to alpha(v) and MMP-2. Our findings suggest that the increase in MMP-2 activity is integrin-dependent as MMP-2 activity is reduced in cells treated with an inhibitor to alpha(v) or in alpha(v)995 cells expressing mutant alpha(v).     

Binding of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to DNA of cells in culture: a rapid method for its analysis using hydroxylapatite column chromatography.

A rapid procedure to study the interaction of carcinogens with DNA in cultured cells has been developed. The cells, which are labeled with 7,12-[3H]dimethylbenz[a] anthracene ([3H]DMBA), are lysed with 0.24 M phosphate buffer (pH 6.8), 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 8 M urea and 0.01 M ethylenediamine-tetraacetate (EDTA) and sonicated. The cell lysates are fractionated on columns of hydroxylapatite. Proteins and RNA are removed with 8 M urea in 0.24 M phosphate buffer (pH 6.8). DMBA-bound DNA is eluted with 0.4 M phosphate buffer (pH 6.8). DMBA-DNA isolated by this procedure is virtually free from proteins and RNA. Thermal stability, ultraviolet spectra and the density of DNA is not altered by DMBA binding. The uptake of DMBA by mouse epidermal cells is rapid and the binding of DMBA to DNA is linear for the first 8 h of exposure. DMBA binds to DNA in all phases of the cell cycle. However, the highest binding occurs immediately following maximum DNA synthesis.