Transcriptional profiling of apoptotic pathways in batch and fed-batch CHO cell cultures

Chinese Hamster ovary (CHO) cells are regarded as one of the "work-horses" for complex biotherapeutics production. In these processes, loss in culture viability occurs primarily via apoptosis, a genetically controlled form of cellular suicide. Using our "in-house" developed CHO cDNA array and a mouse oligonucleotide array for time profile expression analysis of batch and fed-batch CHO cell cultures, the genetic circuitry that regulates and executes apoptosis induction were examined. During periods of high viability, most pro-apoptotic genes were down-regulated but upon loss in viability, several early pro-apoptotic signaling genes were up-regulated. At later stages of viability loss, we detected late pro-apoptotic effector genes such as caspases and DNases being up-regulated. This sequential regulation of apoptotic genes showed that DNA microarrays could be used as a tool to study apoptosis. We found that in batch and fed-batch cultures, apoptosis signaling occurred primarily via death receptor- and mitochondria-mediated signaling pathways rather than endoplasmic reticulum-mediated signaling. These insights provide a greater understanding of the regulatory circuitry of apoptosis during cell culture and allow for subsequent targeting of relevant apoptosis signaling genes to prolong cell culture.     

Endoplasmic reticulum‐directed recombinant mRNA displays subcellular localization equal to endogenous mRNA during transient expression in CHO cells

When expressing pharmaceutical recombinant proteins in mammalian cells, the protein is commonly directed through the secretory pathway, in a signal peptide‐dependent manner, to acquire specific post‐translational modifications and to facilitate secretion into the culture medium. One key premise for this is the direction of the mRNA encoding the recombinant protein to the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) for subsequent protein translocation into the secretory pathway. To evaluate the efficiency of this process in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, the subcellular localization of recombinant mRNA encoding the therapeutic proteins, erythropoietin (EPO) and Rituximab, was determined. The results show that ER‐directed recombinant mRNAs exhibited an efficient recruitment to the ER when compared to an endogenous ER‐directed mRNA, with no cytoplasmic translation of ER‐directed recombinant proteins observed. These observations indicate that the recombinant mRNA, encoding ER‐directed proteins, follows the same distribution pattern as endogenous mRNA directed towards the ER. Furthermore, the previous established fractionation method proves to be an efficient tool to study not only recombinant mRNA localization, but also recombinant protein trafficking between the ER and cytosol in CHO cells.     

唇腭裂患儿下调表达的miRNA相关研究

目的:唇腭裂是口腔颌面部最常见的先天性畸形,危害严重。mi RNA在细胞分化,生物发育及疾病发生发展过程中发挥巨大作用,越来越多的受到科研人员的关注。本课题对唇腭裂患儿下调表达的mi RNA与唇腭裂相关性进行验证研究,为mi RNA应用在唇腭裂防治中奠定一定的基础。方法:通过芯片分析方法检测唇腭裂患儿表达下调的mi RNA,利用MIRDB、TARGETSCAN-VERT和RNA22-HSA这三个生物信息学软件对唇腭裂患儿表达下调的mi RNA进行靶基因预测分析,验证候选mi RNA与唇腭裂具有相关性。结果:得出唇腭裂患儿中出现差异表达下调的mi RNA有hsa-mi R-3119,hsa-mi R-3915等73个,其中hsa-mi R-3611对应的靶基因GABRB3和hsa-mi R-764对应的靶基因F13A1有文献报道与唇腭裂具有相关性。结论:hsa-mi R-3611,hsa-mi R-764可能与唇腭裂的发生存在关联。     

批次和流加培养中国仓鼠卵巢工程细胞的细胞周期相关基因转录谱分析

以表达人重组尿激酶原中国仓鼠卵巢 (CHO) 工程细胞系11G-S为研究对象,运用基因芯片技术比较了CHO工程细胞在批次及流加培养不同生长阶段基因表达水平的差异,在此基础上采用Genmapp软件,同时结合已知的细胞周期信号通路图,着重分析了批次及流加培养CHO工程细胞的细胞周期调控基因转录谱差异。在基因芯片涉及的19 191个目标基因中,批次和流加培养不同生长阶段CHO工程细胞的下调表达的基因数量多于上调表达基因数目;两种培养模式下的基因差异表达有着明显的不同,尤其是在细胞生长的衰退期,流加培养CHO工程细胞中下调表达的基因数量明显多于批次培养。有关调控细胞周期关键基因的转录谱分析表明,CHO工程细胞主要是通过下调表达CDKs、Cyclin及CKI家族中的Cdk6、Cdk2、Cdc2a、Ccne1、Ccne2基因及上调表达Smad4基因,来达到调控细胞增殖及维持自身活力的目的。     

Initial identification of low temperature and culture stage induction of miRNA expression in suspension CHO-K1 cells

This paper describes the first miRNA analysis carried out on hamster cells specifically Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells which are the most important cell line for the manufacture of human recombinant biopharmaceutical products. During biphasic culture, an initial phase of rapid cell growth at 37 degrees C is followed by a growth arrest phase induced through reduction of the culture temperature. Growth arrest is associated with many positive phenotypes including increased productivity, sustained viability and an extended production phase. Using miRNA bioarrays generated with probes against human, mouse and rat miRNAs, we have identified 26 differentially expressed miRNAs in CHO-K1 when comparing cells undergoing exponential growth at 37 degrees C to stationary phase cells at 31 degrees C. Five miRNAs were selected for qRT-PCR analysis using specific primer sets to isolate and amplify mature miRNAs. During this analysis, two known growth inhibitory miRNAs, miR-21 and miR-24 were identified as being upregulated during stationary phase growth induced either by temperature shift or during normal batch culture by both bioarray and qRT-PCR. Sequence data confirmed the identity of cgr-miR-21, a novel Cricetulus griseus ortholog of the known miRNA miR-21. This study offers a novel insight into the potential of miRNA regulation of CHO-K1 growth and may provide novel approaches to rational engineering of both cell lines and culture processes to ensure optimal conditions for recombinant protein production.     

Metabolic profiling of Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures at different working volumes and agitation speeds using spin tube reactors

Culture systems based on spin tube reactors have been consolidated in the development of manufacturing processes based on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Despite their widespread use, there is little information about the consequences of varying operational setting parameters on the culture performance of recombinant CHO cell lines. Here, we investigated the effect of varying working volumes and agitation speeds on cell growth, protein production, and cell metabolism of two clonally derived CHO cell lines (expressing an IgG1 and a “difficult-to-express” fusion protein). Interestingly, low culture volumes increased recombinant protein production and decreased cell growth, while high culture volumes had the opposite effect. Altering agitation speeds exacerbated or moderated the differences observed due to culture volume changes. Combining low agitation rates with high culture volumes suppressed growth and recombinant protein production in CHO cells. Meanwhile, high agitation rates narrowed the differences in culture performance between low and high working volumes. These differences were also reflected in cell metabolism, where low culture volumes enhanced oxidative metabolism (linked to a productive phenotype) and high culture volume generated a metabolic profile that was predominately glycolytic (linked to a proliferative phenotype). Our findings indicate that the culture volume influence on metabolism modulates the balance between cell growth and protein production, a key feature that may be useful to adjust CHO cells toward a more productive phenotype.     

The effect of osmolarity on metabolism and morphology in adhesion and suspension chinese hamster ovary cells producing tissue plasminogen activator

The effects of constant osmolarity, between 300 and500 mOsm/kg, on the metabolism of Chinese HamsterOvary (CHO) cells producing tissue plasminogenactivator (tPA) were compared between adhesion andsuspension cultures. In both suspension and adhesionculture, the specific rates of glucose consumption(_G), lactate production (q_L), and tPAproduction (q_tPA) increased as osmolarityincreased, while these rates decreased when osmolaritywas higher than the respective critical levels. However, specific growth rate () decreased withincrease in osmolarity and this slope grew steeper inthe osmolarity range higher than the critical level. The decrease in in the adhesion culture was morerapid than that in the suspension culture. Thecritical osmolarity for adhesion culture (400 mOsm/kg)was lower than that for suspension culture (450 mOsm/kg). These results indicated that the adhesionculture was more sensitive to increase of osmolaritythan the suspension culture, while the specific ratesobtained from the adhesion cultures were in general1.5- to 3-fold higher than those obtained from thesuspension cultures. Cell volume increased asosmolarity increased in both the suspension andadhesion cultures, as reported previously forsuspension culture of hybridoma cells, but there wasno morphological change in the suspension culture. Incontrast, cell height decreased and cell adhesion areamarkedly increased as osmolarity increased in theadhesion culture. This morphological change inadhesion cultures may be one reason for the highersensitivity of adherent cells to the increase ofosmolarity than suspended cells.     

Towards a metabolic and isotopic steady state in CHO batch cultures for reliable isotope-based metabolic profiling

Attaining metabolic and isotopic balanced growth is one critical condition for physiological studies using isotope-labeled tracers, but is very difficult to obtain in batch culture due to the extensive metabolite exchange with the surrounding medium and related physiological changes. In the present study, we investigated metabolic and isotopic behavior of CHO cells in differently designed media. We observed that the assumption of balanced cell growth cannot be justified in batch culture of CHO cells directly using conventional, commercially available media. By systematically redesigning media composition and characterizing metabolic steady state based on mass balances and measurement of labeling dynamics, we achieved balanced cell growth for the main cellular substrates in CHO cells. This was done in a step-by-step analysis of growth and primary metabolism of CHO cells with the use of [U-¹³C]glucose feeding and adjusting concentrations of amino acids in the growth medium. The optimized media obtained at the end of the study provide balanced growth and isotopic steady state or at least asymptotic steady state. As a result, we established a platform to conduct isotope-based physiological studies of mammalian systems more reliably and therefore well suited for later use in metabolic profiling of mammalian systems such as ¹³C-labeled metabolic flux analysis.     

葡萄细胞悬浮培养生产白藜芦醇

以巨峰葡萄果皮为外植体,在添加2.0 mg/L 6-苄基嘌呤（6-BA）和0.1 mg/L 2,4-二氯苯氧基（2,4-D）的B5培养基上诱导葡萄愈伤组织; 以50 g/L的初始接种量在添加1.0 mg/L 6-BA和0.05 mg/L 2,4-D的B5液体培养基上建立葡萄悬浮培养体系。在25～27 ℃下,摇床振荡暗培养（120～130 r/min）18 d后,葡萄细胞生物量和白藜芦醇含量达到最大值（16.17 g/L、95.69 μg/g干质量）。在培养第12天时,向培养基中添加100 μmol/L茉莉酸甲酯（MeJA）,经过6 d处理,细胞中白藜芦醇含量达235.73 μg/g干质量。     

Agitation and aeration effects in suspension mammalian cell cultures

Three different hybridoma cell lines, grown in serum-free media with different levels of Pluronic F-68, were subjected to a shear force of 0.6 N m^-2. Some protective effect due to the polymer was found, indicating it to be a potentially useful adjuvant in serum-free media. Other observations of liquid and gas effects at the reactor level have been included here. A discussion of the difference between suspension and microcarrier cultures, in relation to hydrodynamic effects, is included.     

In vitro uptake of glutamate in GLAST-and GLT-1-transfected mutant CHO-K1 cells is inhibited by the ethylmercury-containing preservative thimerosal

Thimerosal, also known as thimersal, Merthrolate, or sodiumethyl-mercurithiosalicylate, is an organic mercurial compound that is used in a variety of commercial as well as biomedical applications. As a preservative, it is used in a number of vaccines and pharmaceutical products. Its active ingredient is ethylmercury. Both inorganic and organic mercurials are known to interfere with glutamate homeostasis. Brain glutamate is removed mainly by astrocytes from the extracellular fluid via high-affinity astroglial Na⁺-dependent excitatory amino acid transporters, glutamate/ aspartats transporter (GLAST) and glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1). The effects of thimerosal on glutamate homeostasis have yet to be determined. As a first step in this process, we examined the effects of thimerosal on the transport of [³H]-D-aspartate, a nonmetabolizable glutamate analog, in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with two glutamate transporter subtypes, GLAST (EAAT1) and GLT-1 (EAAT2). Additionally, studies were undertaken to determine the effects of thimerosal on mRNA and protein levels of these transporters. The results indicate that thimerosal treatment caused significant but selective changes in both glutamate transporter mRNA and protein expression in CHO cells. Thimerosal-mediated inhibition of glutamate transport in the CHO-K1 cell line DdB7 was more pronounced in the GLT-1-transfected cells compared with the GLAST-transfected cells. These studies suggest that thimerosal accumulation in the central nervous system might contribute to dysregulation of glutamate homeostasis.     

Metabolite profiling of CHO cells with different growth characteristics

Mammalian cell cultures are the predominant system for the production of recombinant proteins requiring post-translational modifications. As protein yields are a function of growth performance (among others), and performance varies greatly between culture medium (e.g., different growth rates and peak cell densities), an understanding of the biological mechanisms underpinning this variability would facilitate rational medium and process optimization, increasing product yields, and reducing costs. We employed a metabolomics approach to analyze differences in metabolite concentrations of CHO cells cultivated in three different media exhibiting different growth rates and maximum viable cell densities. Analysis of intra- and extracellular metabolite concentrations over the course of the cultures using a combination of HPLC and GC-MS, readily detected medium specific and time dependent changes. Using multivariate data analysis, we identified a range of metabolites correlating with growth rate, illustrating how metabolomics can be used to relate gross phenotypic changes to the fine details of cellular metabolism.     

Influence of protein and carbohydrate contents of soy protein hydrolysates on cell density and IgG production in animal cell cultures

The variety of compounds present in chemically defined media as well as media supplements makes it difficult to use a mechanistic approach to study the effect of supplement composition on culture functionality. Typical supplements, such as soy protein hydrolysates contain peptides, amino acids, carbohydrates, isoflavones, and saponins. To study the relative contribution of these compound classes, a set of hydrolysates were produced, containing 58‐83% proteinaceous material and 5‐21% carbohydrates. While the content of the different compounds classes varied, the composition (e.g., peptide profiles, carbohydrate composition) did not vary in hydrolysates. The hydrolysates were supplemented to a chemically defined medium in cell culture, based on equal weight and on equal protein levels. The latter showed that an increase in the carbohydrate concentration significantly (P value < 0.004) increased integral viable cell density (IVCD) (R = 0.7) and decreased total IgG (R = ?0.7) and specific IgG production (R = ?0.9). The extrapolation of effects of protein concentration showed that an increase in protein concentration increased total and specific IgG production and suppressed IVCD. In addition to proteins and carbohydrates, the functionality of soy protein hydrolysates may be modulated by the presence of other minor compounds. In the current study, the large differences in the balance between total proteins and total carbohydrates in the supplemented media seem to be a main factor influencing the balance between the viable cell density, total IgG, and specific IgG production. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:1396–1405, 2015     

Apoptosis in CHO cell batch cultures: examination by flow cytometry

Chinese hamster ovary cells grown under conditions which are optimal for the production of a genetically engineered protein in batch culture, lose significant viability shortly after entering the stationary phase. This cell death was investigated morphologically and was found to be almost exclusively via apoptosi. Furthermore, cells were analyzed by flow cytometry using a fluorescent DNA end-labeling assay to label apoptotic cells, in conjunction with cell cycle analysis using propidium iodide. Apoptotic cells could be detected by this method, and by the radioactive end-labeling of extracted DNA, on all days of culture from day 1 to day 7; however, the degree of apoptotic cell death increased dramatically when the cells entered the stationary phase, rising to 50–60% of the total cell number at the termination of the culture. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the majority of cells underwent apoptosis whilst in G₁/G₀ and formed an apoptotic population with high DNA FITC end-labeling and hypodiploid propidium iodide binding. Additionally, the ability or inability to secrete specific protein products did not appear to interfere with the development of the apoptotic population with time.     

制备可溶性肿瘤坏死因子受体II－脂联素球部融合蛋白的两种细胞培养工艺比较

利用7.5 L生物反应器篮式贴壁培养和全悬浮批式培养CHO工程细胞株表达可溶性肿瘤坏死因子受体Ⅱ-脂联素球部(sTNFRⅡ-gAD)融合蛋白,比较这两种培养方法的产率,以便优化高效表达sTNFRⅡ-gAD融合蛋白的制备工艺.篮式贴壁培养首先小规模培养CHO工程细胞株,待细胞增殖到一定密度后以3× 105～4× 105 cells/mL密度接种生物反应器贴壁培养3d,调换成不含血清的LK021培养基继续培养4d.而全悬浮无血清批式培养则以3×105～4×105 cells/mL密度的CHO工程细胞株接种于生物反应器,连续培养7d.培养过程实时监测培养条件,维持pH和DO的稳定.分别收集细胞上清,离心去细胞后用Pellicon切相流超滤系统对蛋白进行浓缩,并通过DEAE离子交换柱进行纯化.结果显示,篮式贴壁培养和全悬浮批式培养均成功表达了sTNFRⅡ-gAD融合蛋白,产量分别为8.0 mg/L和7.5 mg/L、纯度分别为95％和98％,从而为sTNFRⅡ-gAD融合蛋白的中试工艺研究提供了一定的基础.