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Glinšek K, Bozovičar K, Bratkovič T. CRISPR Technologies in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell Line Engineering. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098144. [PMID: 37175850 PMCID: PMC10179654 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line is a well-established platform for the production of biopharmaceuticals due to its ability to express complex therapeutic proteins with human-like glycopatterns in high amounts. The advent of CRISPR technology has opened up new avenues for the engineering of CHO cell lines for improved protein production and enhanced product quality. This review summarizes recent advances in the application of CRISPR technology for CHO cell line engineering with a particular focus on glycosylation modulation, productivity enhancement, tackling adventitious agents, elimination of problematic host cell proteins, development of antibiotic-free selection systems, site-specific transgene integration, and CRISPR-mediated gene activation and repression. The review highlights the potential of CRISPR technology in CHO cell line genome editing and epigenetic engineering for the more efficient and cost-effective development of biopharmaceuticals while ensuring the safety and quality of the final product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Glinšek
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Krištof Bozovičar
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Bratkovič
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Kretzmer C, Narasimhan RL, Lal RD, Balassi V, Ravellette J, Kotekar Manjunath AK, Koshy JJ, Viano M, Torre S, Zanda VM, Kumravat M, Saldanha KMR, Chandranpillai H, Nihad I, Zhong F, Sun Y, Gustin J, Borgschulte T, Liu J, Razafsky D. De novo assembly and annotation of the CHOZN® GS -/- genome supports high-throughput genome-scale screening. Biotechnol Bioeng 2022; 119:3632-3646. [PMID: 36073082 PMCID: PMC9825924 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells have been used as the industry standard for the production of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for several decades. Despite significant improvements in commercial-scale production processes and media, the CHO cell has remained largely unchanged. Due to the cost and complexity of whole-genome sequencing and gene-editing it has been difficult to obtain the tools necessary to improve the CHO cell line. With the advent of next-generation sequencing and the discovery of the CRISPR/Cas9 system it has become more cost effective to sequence and manipulate the CHO genome. Here, we provide a comprehensive de novo assembly and annotation of the CHO-K1 based CHOZN® GS-/- genome. Using this platform, we designed, built, and confirmed the functionality of a whole genome CRISPR guide RNA library that will allow the bioprocessing community to design a more robust CHO cell line leading to the production of life saving medications in a more cost-effective manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Kretzmer
- Upstream Research and Development, MilliporeSigmaSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Rajagopalan Lakshmi Narasimhan
- Bioinformatics, IT R&D Applications, Merck (Sigma‐Aldrich Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., A subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany)BangaloreIndia
| | - Rahul Deva Lal
- Bioinformatics, IT R&D Applications, Merck (Sigma‐Aldrich Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., A subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany)BangaloreIndia
| | - Vincent Balassi
- Upstream Research and Development, MilliporeSigmaSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - James Ravellette
- Upstream Research and Development, MilliporeSigmaSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Ajaya Kumar Kotekar Manjunath
- Bioinformatics, IT R&D Applications, Merck (Sigma‐Aldrich Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., A subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany)BangaloreIndia
| | - Jesvin Joy Koshy
- Bioinformatics, IT R&D Applications, Merck (Sigma‐Aldrich Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., A subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany)BangaloreIndia
| | - Marta Viano
- Istituto di Ricerche Biomediche “A. Marxer” RBM S.p.A.IvreaItaly
| | - Serena Torre
- Istituto di Ricerche Biomediche “A. Marxer” RBM S.p.A.IvreaItaly
| | - Valeria M. Zanda
- Istituto di Ricerche Biomediche “A. Marxer” RBM S.p.A.IvreaItaly
| | - Mausam Kumravat
- Bioinformatics, IT R&D Applications, Merck (Sigma‐Aldrich Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., A subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany)BangaloreIndia
| | - Keith Metelo Raul Saldanha
- Bioinformatics, IT R&D Applications, Merck (Sigma‐Aldrich Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., A subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany)BangaloreIndia
| | - Harikrishnan Chandranpillai
- Bioinformatics, IT R&D Applications, Merck (Sigma‐Aldrich Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., A subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany)BangaloreIndia
| | - Ifra Nihad
- Bioinformatics, IT R&D Applications, Merck (Sigma‐Aldrich Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., A subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany)BangaloreIndia
| | - Fei Zhong
- Life Science Bioinformatics, IT, MilliporeSigmaSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Yi Sun
- Bioinformatics, IT R&D Applications, MilliporeSigmaSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Jason Gustin
- Upstream Research and Development, MilliporeSigmaSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | | | - Jiajian Liu
- Life Science Bioinformatics, IT, MilliporeSigmaSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - David Razafsky
- Upstream Research and Development, MilliporeSigmaSt. LouisMissouriUSA
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Novel Insights into Selected Disease-Causing Mutations within the SLC35A1 Gene Encoding the CMP-Sialic Acid Transporter. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010304. [PMID: 33396746 PMCID: PMC7795627 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are a group of rare genetic and metabolic diseases caused by alterations in glycosylation pathways. Five patients bearing CDG-causing mutations in the SLC35A1 gene encoding the CMP-sialic acid transporter (CST) have been reported to date. In this study we examined how specific mutations in the SLC35A1 gene affect the protein’s properties in two previously described SLC35A1-CDG cases: one caused by a substitution (Q101H) and another involving a compound heterozygous mutation (T156R/E196K). The effects of single mutations and the combination of T156R and E196K mutations on the CST’s functionality was examined separately in CST-deficient HEK293T cells. As shown by microscopic studies, none of the CDG-causing mutations affected the protein’s proper localization in the Golgi apparatus. Cellular glycophenotypes were characterized using lectins, structural assignment of N- and O-glycans and analysis of glycolipids. Single Q101H, T156R and E196K mutants were able to partially restore sialylation in CST-deficient cells, and the deleterious effect of a single T156R or E196K mutation on the CST functionality was strongly enhanced upon their combination. We also revealed differences in the ability of CST variants to form dimers. The results of this study improve our understanding of the molecular background of SLC35A1-CDG cases.
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Liu W, Padmashali R, Monzon OQ, Lundberg D, Jin S, Dwyer B, Lee YJ, Korde A, Park S, Pan C, Zhang B. Generation of FX -/- and Gmds -/- CHOZN host cell lines for the production of afucosylated therapeutic antibodies. Biotechnol Prog 2020; 37:e3061. [PMID: 32748555 PMCID: PMC7988551 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) is the primary mechanism of actions for several marketed therapeutic antibodies (mAbs) and for many more in clinical trials. The ADCC efficacy is highly dependent on the ability of therapeutic mAbs to recruit effector cells such as natural killer cells, which induce the apoptosis of targeted cells. The recruitment of effector cells by mAbs is negatively affected by fucose modification of N‐Glycans on the Fc; thus, utilization of afucosylated mAbs has been a trend for enhanced ADCC therapeutics. Most of afucosylated mAbs in clinical or commercial manufacturing were produced from Fut8−/− Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) host cells, generally generating low yields compared to wildtype CHO host. This study details the generation and characterization of two engineered CHOZN® cell lines, in which the enzyme involved in guanosine diphosphate (GDP)‐fucose synthesis, GDP mannose‐4,6‐dehydratase (Gmds) and GDP‐L‐fucose synthase (FX), was knocked out. The top host cell lines for each of the knockouts, FX−/− and Gmds−/−, were selected based on growth robustness, bulk MSX selection tolerance, production titer, fucosylation level, and cell stability. We tested the production of two proprietary IgG1 mAbs in the engineered host cells, and found that the titers were comparable to CHOZN® cells. The mAbs generated from either KO cell line exhibited loss of fucose modification, leading to significantly boosted FcγRIIIa binding and ADCC effects. Our data demonstrated that both FX−/− and Gmds−/− host cells could replace Fut8−/− CHO cells for clinical manufacturing of antibody therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyi Liu
- Rare Disease Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Roshan Padmashali
- Rare Disease Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Omar Quintero Monzon
- Rare Disease Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dianna Lundberg
- Rare Disease Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shan Jin
- Rare Disease Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brian Dwyer
- Rare Disease Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yun-Jung Lee
- Rare Disease Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anisha Korde
- Rare Disease Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sophia Park
- Rare Disease Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Clark Pan
- Rare Disease Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bohong Zhang
- Rare Disease Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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Multiplex secretome engineering enhances recombinant protein production and purity. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1908. [PMID: 32313013 PMCID: PMC7170862 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15866-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Host cell proteins (HCPs) are process-related impurities generated during biotherapeutic protein production. HCPs can be problematic if they pose a significant metabolic demand, degrade product quality, or contaminate the final product. Here, we present an effort to create a "clean" Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell by disrupting multiple genes to eliminate HCPs. Using a model of CHO cell protein secretion, we predict that the elimination of unnecessary HCPs could have a non-negligible impact on protein production. We analyze the HCP content of 6-protein, 11-protein, and 14-protein knockout clones. These cell lines exhibit a substantial reduction in total HCP content (40%-70%). We also observe higher productivity and improved growth characteristics in specific clones. The reduced HCP content facilitates purification of a monoclonal antibody. Thus, substantial improvements can be made in protein titer and purity through large-scale HCP deletion, providing an avenue to increased quality and affordability of high-value biopharmaceuticals.
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Combating viral contaminants in CHO cells by engineering innate immunity. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8827. [PMID: 31222165 PMCID: PMC6586939 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45126-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral contamination in biopharmaceutical manufacturing can lead to shortages in the supply of critical therapeutics. To facilitate the protection of bioprocesses, we explored the basis for the susceptibility of CHO cells to RNA virus infection. Upon infection with certain ssRNA and dsRNA viruses, CHO cells fail to generate a significant interferon (IFN) response. Nonetheless, the downstream machinery for generating IFN responses and its antiviral activity is intact in these cells: treatment of cells with exogenously-added type I IFN or poly I:C prior to infection limited the cytopathic effect from Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), and Reovirus-3 virus (Reo-3) in a STAT1-dependent manner. To harness the intrinsic antiviral mechanism, we used RNA-Seq to identify two upstream repressors of STAT1: Gfi1 and Trim24. By knocking out these genes, the engineered CHO cells exhibited activation of cellular immune responses and increased resistance to the RNA viruses tested. Thus, omics-guided engineering of mammalian cell culture can be deployed to increase safety in biotherapeutic protein production among many other biomedical applications.
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