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Major GS, Doan VK, Longoni A, Bilek MMM, Wise SG, Rnjak-Kovacina J, Yeo GC, Lim KS. Mapping the microcarrier design pathway to modernise clinical mesenchymal stromal cell expansion. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:859-876. [PMID: 38320911 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Microcarrier expansion systems show exciting potential to revolutionise mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-based clinical therapies by providing an opportunity for economical large-scale expansion of donor- and patient-derived cells. The poor reproducibility and efficiency of cell expansion on commercial polystyrene microcarriers have driven the development of novel microcarriers with tuneable physical, mechanical, and cell-instructive properties. These new microcarriers show innovation toward improving cell expansion outcomes, although their limited biological characterisation and compatibility with dynamic culture systems suggest the need to realign the microcarrier design pathway. Clear headway has been made toward developing infrastructure necessary for scaling up these technologies; however, key challenges remain in characterising the wholistic effects of microcarrier properties on the biological fate and function of expanded MSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretel S Major
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Vinh K Doan
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alessia Longoni
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marcela M M Bilek
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Sydney Nano Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Steven G Wise
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jelena Rnjak-Kovacina
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Tyree Institute of Health Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Giselle C Yeo
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Khoon S Lim
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Sydney Nano Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
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López-Fernández A, Garcia-Gragera V, Lecina M, Vives J. Identification of critical process parameters for expansion of clinical grade human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in stirred-tank bioreactors. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300381. [PMID: 38403461 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Cell therapies based on multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are traditionally produced using 2D culture systems and platelet lysate- or serum-containing media (SCM). Although cost-effective for single-dose autologous treatments, this approach is not suitable for larger scale manufacturing (e.g., multiple-dose autologous or allogeneic therapies with banked MSCs); automated, scalable and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-compliant platforms are urgently needed. The feasibility of transitioning was evaluated from an established Wharton's jelly MSCs (WJ-MSCs) 2D production strategy to a new one with stirred-tank bioreactors (STRs). Experimental conditions included four GMP-compliant xeno- and serum-free media (XSFM) screened in 2D conditions and two GMP-grade microcarriers assessed in 0.25 L-STRs using SCM. From the screening, a XSFM was selected and compared against SCM using the best-performing microcarrier. It was observed that SCM outperformed the 2D-selected medium in STRs, reinforcing the importance of 2D-to-3D transition studies before translation into clinical production settings. It was also found that attachment efficiency and microcarrier colonization were essential to attain higher fold expansions, and were therefore defined as critical process parameters. Nevertheless, WJ-MSCs were readily expanded in STRs with both media, preserving critical quality attributes in terms of identity, viability and differentiation potency, and yielding up to 1.47 × 109 cells in a real-scale 2.4-L batch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba López-Fernández
- Servei de Teràpia Cel·lular i Avançada, Banc de Sang i Teixits, Edifici Dr. Frederic Duran i Jordà, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Víctor Garcia-Gragera
- Servei de Teràpia Cel·lular i Avançada, Banc de Sang i Teixits, Edifici Dr. Frederic Duran i Jordà, Barcelona, Spain
- Engineering Materials Group (GEMAT), Bioprocessing Lab, IQS School of Engineering, Universitat Ramón Llull, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Martí Lecina
- Engineering Materials Group (GEMAT), Bioprocessing Lab, IQS School of Engineering, Universitat Ramón Llull, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Vives
- Servei de Teràpia Cel·lular i Avançada, Banc de Sang i Teixits, Edifici Dr. Frederic Duran i Jordà, Barcelona, Spain
- Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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