1
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Gonzalez-Rivera JC, Galvan A, Ryder T, Milman M, Agarwal K, Kandari L, Khetan A. A high-titer scalable Chinese hamster ovary transient expression platform for production of biotherapeutics. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024; 121:3454-3470. [PMID: 39101569 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28817] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Transient gene expression (TGE) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells offers a route to accelerate biologics development by delivering material weeks to months earlier than what is possible with conventional cell line development. However, low productivity, inconsistent product quality profiles, and scalability challenges have prevented its broader adoption. In this study, we develop a scalable CHO-based TGE system achieving 1.9 g/L of monoclonal antibody in an unmodified host. We integrated continuous flow-electroporation and alternate tangential flow (ATF) perfusion to enable an end-to-end closed system from N-1 perfusion to fed-batch 50-L bioreactor production. Optimization of both the ATF operation for three-in-one application-cell growth, buffer exchange, and cell mass concentration-and the flow-electroporation process, led to a platform for producing biotherapeutics using transiently transfected cells. We demonstrate scalability up to 50-L bioreactor, maintaining a titer over 1 g/L. We also show comparable quality between both transiently and stably produced material, and consistency across batches. The results confirm that purity, charge variants and N-glycan profiles are similar. Our study demonstrates the potential of CHO-based TGE platforms to accelerate biologics process development timelines and contributes evidence supporting its feasibility for manufacturing early clinical material, aiming to strengthen endorsement for TGE's wider implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alberto Galvan
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Todd Ryder
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Monica Milman
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kitty Agarwal
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Lakshmi Kandari
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Anurag Khetan
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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2
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Ingawale M, Riaz M, Durocher Y, Ghosh R. An unconventional strategy for purifying recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2024; 1247:124328. [PMID: 39362118 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2024.124328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2024] [Revised: 09/24/2024] [Accepted: 09/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/05/2024]
Abstract
The soluble domain of the trimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is a promising candidate for a COVID-19 vaccine. Purification of this protein from mammalian cell culture supernatant using conventional resin-based chromatography is challenging as its large size (∼550 kDa) restricts its access and mobility within the pores of the resin particles. This reduces binding capacity and process robustness very significantly as extremely low flow rates need to be used during purification. Convection-based ion-exchange membrane chromatography has been found to be suitable in this respect. However, the high ionic strength of mammalian cell culture supernatant makes it difficult to bind this protein on charged membranes without dilution with a suitable buffer. An unconventional strategy involving size-exclusion chromatography as the first step, followed by cation exchange membrane chromatography as the second step is proposed in this paper. In the size exclusion chromatography step, the spike protein is excluded from the pores and can therefore be isolated in the void volume fraction. This step removes small molecule impurities and also serves as a desalting and buffer exchange step, making the partially purified material suitable for the cation exchange membrane chromatography step. The proposed process is variant-independent, fast and scalable and addresses some of the challenges associated with the currently used purification methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrunal Ingawale
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L7, Canada
| | - Mohammad Riaz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L7, Canada
| | - Yves Durocher
- National Research Council of Canada, Montreal, Québec H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Raja Ghosh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L7, Canada.
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3
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Sukhova M, Byazrova M, Mikhailov A, Yusubalieva G, Maslova I, Belovezhets T, Chikaev N, Vorobiev I, Baklaushev V, Filatov A. Humoral Immune Responses in Patients with Severe COVID-19: A Comparative Pilot Study between Individuals Infected by SARS-CoV-2 during the Wild-Type and the Delta Periods. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2347. [PMID: 37764191 PMCID: PMC10536989 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, humanity has experienced the spread and circulation of several SARS-CoV-2 variants that differed in transmissibility, contagiousness, and the ability to escape from vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies. However, issues related to the differences in the variant-specific immune responses remain insufficiently studied. The aim of this study was to compare the parameters of the humoral immune responses in two groups of patients with acute COVID-19 who were infected during the circulation period of the D614G and the Delta variants of SARS-CoV-2. Sera from 48 patients with acute COVID-19 were tested for SARS-CoV-2 binding and neutralizing antibodies using six assays. We found that serum samples from the D614G period demonstrated 3.9- and 1.6-fold increases in RBD- and spike-specific IgG binding with wild-type antigens compared with Delta variant antigens (p < 0.01). Cluster analysis showed the existence of two well-separated clusters. The first cluster mainly consisted of D614G-period patients and the second cluster predominantly included patients from the Delta period. The results thus obtained indicate that humoral immune responses in D614G- and Delta-specific infections can be characterized by variant-specific signatures. This can be taken into account when developing new variant-specific vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Sukhova
- Laboratory of Immunochemistry, National Research Center Institute of Immunology, Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russia, 115522 Moscow, Russia; (M.S.); (M.B.); (A.M.)
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Byazrova
- Laboratory of Immunochemistry, National Research Center Institute of Immunology, Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russia, 115522 Moscow, Russia; (M.S.); (M.B.); (A.M.)
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Immunology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Artem Mikhailov
- Laboratory of Immunochemistry, National Research Center Institute of Immunology, Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russia, 115522 Moscow, Russia; (M.S.); (M.B.); (A.M.)
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Gaukhar Yusubalieva
- Laboratory of Cell Technology, Federal Research and Clinical Center for Specialized Types of Medical Care and Medical Technologies of the FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russia; (G.Y.); (V.B.)
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina Maslova
- Clinical Hospital #85, Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russia, 115409 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Tatyana Belovezhets
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (T.B.); (N.C.)
| | - Nikolay Chikaev
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (T.B.); (N.C.)
| | - Ivan Vorobiev
- Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Bioengineering, Skryabin Institute of Bioengineering, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Vladimir Baklaushev
- Laboratory of Cell Technology, Federal Research and Clinical Center for Specialized Types of Medical Care and Medical Technologies of the FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russia; (G.Y.); (V.B.)
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Filatov
- Laboratory of Immunochemistry, National Research Center Institute of Immunology, Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russia, 115522 Moscow, Russia; (M.S.); (M.B.); (A.M.)
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
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4
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Williams DM, Hornsby HR, Shehata OM, Brown R, Gallis M, Meardon N, Newman TAH, Plowright M, Zafred D, Shun-Shion ASM, Hodder AJ, Bliss D, Metcalfe A, Edgar JR, Gordon DE, Sayers JR, Nicklin MJ, Carroll M, Collini PJ, Brown S, de Silva TI, Peden AA. Establishing SARS-CoV-2 membrane protein-specific antibodies as a valuable serological target via high-content microscopy. iScience 2023; 26:107056. [PMID: 37346049 PMCID: PMC10246304 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence and strength of serological responses mounted toward SARS-CoV-2 proteins other than nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S), which may be of use as additional serological markers, remains underexplored. Using high-content microscopy to assess antibody responses against full-length StrepTagged SARS-CoV-2 proteins, we found that 85% (166/196) of unvaccinated individuals with RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections and 74% (31/42) of individuals infected after being vaccinated developed detectable IgG against the structural protein M, which is higher than previous estimates. Compared with N antibodies, M IgG displayed a shallower time-dependent decay and greater specificity. Sensitivity for SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was enhanced when N and M IgG detection was combined. These findings indicate that screening for M seroconversion may be a good approach for detecting additional vaccine breakthrough infections and highlight the potential to use HCM as a rapidly deployable method to identify the most immunogenic targets of newly emergent pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Williams
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Hailey R Hornsby
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
| | - Ola M Shehata
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Rebecca Brown
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
| | - Marta Gallis
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
| | - Naomi Meardon
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK
| | - Thomas A H Newman
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK
| | - Megan Plowright
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK
| | - Domen Zafred
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
| | - Amber S M Shun-Shion
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Anthony J Hodder
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Deepa Bliss
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Andrew Metcalfe
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - James R Edgar
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
| | - David E Gordon
- Department of Pathology, Emory University, Whitehead Building, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jon R Sayers
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
| | - Martin J Nicklin
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
| | - Miles Carroll
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Paul J Collini
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK
| | - Stephen Brown
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK
| | - Andrew A Peden
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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5
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Villarraza J, Fuselli A, Gugliotta A, Garay E, Rodríguez MC, Fontana D, Antuña S, Gastaldi V, Battagliotti JM, Tardivo MB, Alvarez D, Castro E, Cassataro J, Ceaglio N, Prieto C. A COVID-19 vaccine candidate based on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and immune-stimulating complexes. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:3429-3441. [PMID: 37093307 PMCID: PMC10124706 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12520-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Spike protein from SARS-CoV-2, the etiologic agent of the COVID-19 pandemic disease, constitutes a structural protein that proved to be the main responsible for neutralizing antibody production. Thus, its sequence is highly considered for the design of candidate vaccines. Animal cell culture represents the best option for the production of subunit vaccines based on recombinant proteins since they introduce post-translational modifications that are important to mimic the natural antigenic epitopes. Particularly, the human cell line HEK293T has been explored and used for the production of biotherapeutics since the products derived from them present human-like post-translational modifications that are important for the protein's activity and immunogenicity. The aim of this study was to produce and characterize a potential vaccine for COVID-19 based on the spike ectodomain (S-ED) of SARS-CoV-2 and two different adjuvants: aluminum hydroxide (AH) and immune-stimulating complexes (ISCOMs). The S-ED was produced in sHEK293T cells using a 1-L stirred tank bioreactor operated in perfusion mode and purified. S-ED characterization revealed the expected size and morphology. High N-glycan content was confirmed. S-ED-specific binding with the hACE2 (human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) receptor was verified. The immunogenicity of S-ED was evaluated using AH and ISCOMs. Both formulations demonstrated the presence of anti-RBD antibodies in the plasma of immunized mice, being significantly higher for the latter adjuvant. Also, higher levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 were detected after the ex vivo immune stimulation of spleen-derived MNCs from ISCOMs immunized mice. Further analysis confirmed that S-ED/ISCOMs elicit neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. KEY POINTS: Trimeric SARS-CoV-2 S-ED was produced in stable recombinant sHEK cells in serum-free medium. A novel S-ED vaccine formulation induced potent humoral and cellular immunity. S-ED formulated with ISCOMs adjuvant elicited a highly neutralizing antibody titer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Villarraza
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB, Centro Biotecnológico del Litoral, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Antonela Fuselli
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB, Centro Biotecnológico del Litoral, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Agustina Gugliotta
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB, Centro Biotecnológico del Litoral, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Ernesto Garay
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB, Centro Biotecnológico del Litoral, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina
| | | | - Diego Fontana
- Biotecnofe S.A. PTLC, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina
- UNL, FBCB, Centro Biotecnológico del Litoral, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina
| | | | - Victoria Gastaldi
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB, Centro Biotecnológico del Litoral, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina
- Biotecnofe S.A. PTLC, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina
| | | | | | - Diego Alvarez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eliana Castro
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juliana Cassataro
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Natalia Ceaglio
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB, Centro Biotecnológico del Litoral, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Claudio Prieto
- Biotecnofe S.A. PTLC, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina
- UNL, FBCB, Centro Biotecnológico del Litoral, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina
- Cellargen Biotech SRL, Santa Fe, Pcia., Santa Fe, Argentina
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6
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Joubert S, Stuible M, Lord-Dufour S, Lamoureux L, Vaillancourt F, Perret S, Ouimet M, Pelletier A, Bisson L, Mahimkar R, Pham PL, L Ecuyer-Coelho H, Roy M, Voyer R, Baardsnes J, Sauvageau J, St-Michael F, Robotham A, Kelly J, Acel A, Schrag JD, El Bakkouri M, Durocher Y. A CHO stable pool production platform for rapid clinical development of trimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike subunit vaccine antigens. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023. [PMID: 36987713 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Protein expression from stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) clones is an established but time-consuming method for manufacturing therapeutic recombinant proteins. The use of faster, alternative approaches, such as non-clonal stable pools, has been restricted due to lower productivity and longstanding regulatory guidelines. Recently, the performance of stable pools has improved dramatically, making them a viable option for quickly producing drug substance for GLP-toxicology and early-phase clinical trials in scenarios such as pandemics that demand rapid production timelines. Compared to stable CHO clones which can take several months to generate and characterize, stable pool development can be completed in only a few weeks. Here, we compared the productivity and product quality of trimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike protein ectodomains produced from stable CHO pools or clones. Using a set of biophysical and biochemical assays we show that product quality is very similar and that CHO pools demonstrate sufficient productivity to generate vaccine candidates for early clinical trials. Based on these data, we propose that regulatory guidelines should be updated to permit production of early clinical trial material from CHO pools to enable more rapid and cost-effective clinical evaluation of potentially life-saving vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Joubert
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Matthew Stuible
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Simon Lord-Dufour
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Linda Lamoureux
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - François Vaillancourt
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sylvie Perret
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Manon Ouimet
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Alex Pelletier
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Louis Bisson
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Rohan Mahimkar
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Phuong Lan Pham
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Helene L Ecuyer-Coelho
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Marjolaine Roy
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Robert Voyer
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jason Baardsnes
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Janelle Sauvageau
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Frank St-Michael
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anna Robotham
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John Kelly
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrea Acel
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Joseph D Schrag
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Majida El Bakkouri
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Yves Durocher
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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7
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Green EA, Hamaker NK, Lee KH. Comparison of vector elements and process conditions in transient and stable suspension HEK293 platforms using SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain as a model protein. BMC Biotechnol 2023; 23:7. [PMID: 36882740 PMCID: PMC9990576 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-023-00777-7] [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: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mammalian cell lines are frequently used as protein expression hosts because of their ability to correctly fold and assemble complex proteins, produce them at high titers, and confer post-translational modifications (PTMs) critical to proper function. Increasing demand for proteins with human-like PTMs, particularly viral proteins and vectors, have made human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells an increasingly popular host. The need to engineer more productive HEK293 platforms and the ongoing nature of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic presented an opportunity to study strategies to improve viral protein expression in transient and stable HEK293 platforms. RESULTS Initial process development was done at 24 deep well plate (DWP) -scale to screen transient processes and stable clonal cell lines for recombinant SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (rRBD) titer. Nine DNA vectors that drove rRBD production under different promoters and optionally contained Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) elements to promote episomal expression were screened for transient rRBD production at 37 °C or 32 °C. Use of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter to drive expression at 32 °C led to the highest transient protein titers, but inclusion of episomal expression elements did not augment titer. In parallel, four clonal cell lines with titers higher than that of the selected stable pool were identified in a batch screen. Flask-scale transient transfection and stable fed-batch processes were then established that produced rRBD up to 100 mg/L and 140 mg/L, respectively. While a bio-layer interferometry (BLI) assay was crucial for efficiently screening DWP batch titers, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to compare titers from the flask-scale batches due to varying matrix effects from different cell culture media compositions. CONCLUSION Comparing yields from the flask-scale batches revealed that stable fed-batch cultures produced up to 2.1x more rRBD than transient processes. The stable cell lines developed in this work are the first reported clonal, HEK293-derived rRBD producers and have titers up to 140 mg/L. As stable production platforms are more economically favorable for long-term protein production at large scales, investigation of strategies to increase the efficiency of high-titer stable cell line generation in Expi293F or other HEK293 hosts is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica A Green
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 590 Avenue 1743, Newark, Delaware, 19713, USA
| | - Nathaniel K Hamaker
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 590 Avenue 1743, Newark, Delaware, 19713, USA
| | - Kelvin H Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 590 Avenue 1743, Newark, Delaware, 19713, USA.
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8
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Scarrott JM, Johari YB, Pohle TH, Liu P, Mayer A, James DC. Increased recombinant adeno-associated virus production by HEK293 cells using small molecule chemical additives. Biotechnol J 2023; 18:e2200450. [PMID: 36495042 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202200450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) has established itself as a highly efficacious gene delivery vector with a well characterised safety profile allowing broad clinical application. Recent successes in rAAV-mediated gene therapy clinical trials will continue to drive demand for improved rAAV production processes to reduce costs. Here, we demonstrate that small molecule bioactive chemical additives can significantly increase recombinant AAV vector production by human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells up to three-fold. Nocodazole (an anti-mitotic agent) and M344 (a selective histone deacetylase inhibitor) were identified as positive regulators of rAAV8 genome titre in a microplate screening assay. Addition of nocodazole to triple-transfected HEK293 suspension cells producing rAAV arrested cells in G2/M phase, increased average cell volume and reduced viable cell density relative to untreated rAAV producing cells at harvest. Final crude genome vector titre from nocodazole treated cultures was >2-fold higher compared to non-treated cultures. Further investigation showed nocodazole addition to cultures to be time critical. Genome titre improvement was found to be scalable and serotype independent across two distinct rAAV serotypes, rAAV8 and rAAV9. Furthermore, a combination of M344 and nocodazole produced a positive additive effect on rAAV8 genome titre, resulting in a three-fold increase in genome titre compared to untreated cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Scarrott
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Yusuf B Johari
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Thilo H Pohle
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Ping Liu
- Cell Line Development, REGENXBIO Inc., Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Ayda Mayer
- Cell Line Development, REGENXBIO Inc., Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - David C James
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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9
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Minami SA, Jung S, Huang Y, Harris BS, Kenaston MW, Faller R, Nandi S, McDonald KA, Shah PS. Production of novel SARS-CoV-2 Spike truncations in Chinese hamster ovary cells leads to high expression and binding to antibodies. Biotechnol J 2022; 17:e2100678. [PMID: 35657481 PMCID: PMC9347691 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202100678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 Spike is a key protein that mediates viral entry into cells and elicits antibody responses. Its importance in infection, diagnostics, and vaccinations has created a large demand for purified Spike for clinical and research applications. Spike is difficult to express, prompting modifications to the protein and expression platforms to improve yields. Alternatively, the Spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) is commonly expressed with higher titers, though it has lower sensitivity in serological assays. Here, we improve transient Spike expression in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. We demonstrate that Spike titers increase significantly over the expression period, maximizing at 14 mg L-1 on day 7. In comparison, RBD titers peak at 54 mg L-1 on day 3. Next, we develop eight Spike truncations (T1-T8) in pursuit of truncation with high expression and antibody binding. The truncations T1 and T4 express at 130 and 73 mg L-1 , respectively, which are higher than our RBD titers. Purified proteins were evaluated for binding to antibodies raised against full-length Spike. T1 has similar sensitivity as Spike against a monoclonal antibody and even outperforms Spike for a polyclonal antibody. These results suggest that T1 is a promising Spike alternative for use in various applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiaki A. Minami
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
| | - Seongwon Jung
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
| | - Yihan Huang
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
| | - Bradley S. Harris
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
| | - Matthew W. Kenaston
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular GeneticsUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
| | - Roland Faller
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
| | - Somen Nandi
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
- Global HealthShare InitiativeUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
| | - Karen A. McDonald
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
- Global HealthShare InitiativeUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
| | - Priya S. Shah
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular GeneticsUniversity of CaliforniaCaliforniaDavisUSA
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10
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Fang Z, Lyu J, Li J, Li C, Zhang Y, Guo Y, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Chen K. Application of bioreactor technology for cell culture-based viral vaccine production: Present status and future prospects. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:921755. [PMID: 36017347 PMCID: PMC9395942 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.921755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioreactors are widely used in cell culture-based viral vaccine production, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this context, the development and application of bioreactors can provide more efficient and cost-effective vaccine production to meet the global vaccine demand. The production of viral vaccines is inseparable from the development of upstream biological processes. In particular, exploration at the laboratory-scale is urgently required for further development. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the existing upstream biological processes, to enable the selection of pilot-scale conditions for academic and industrial scientists to maximize the yield and quality of vaccine development and production. Reviewing methods for optimizing the upstream process of virus vaccine production, this review discusses the bioreactor concepts, significant parameters and operational strategies related to large-scale amplification of virus. On this basis, a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the various process optimization methods for the production of various viruses (SARS-CoV-2, Influenza virus, Tropical virus, Enterovirus, Rabies virus) in bioreactors is presented. Meanwhile, the types of viral vaccines are briefly introduced, and the established animal cell lines for vaccine production are described. In addition, it is emphasized that the co-development of bioreactor and computational biology is urgently needed to meet the challenges posed by the differences in upstream production scales between the laboratory and industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongbiao Fang
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingting Lyu
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianhua Li
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chaonan Li
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuxuan Zhang
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yikai Guo
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Wang, ; Yanjun Zhang, ; Keda Chen,
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Wang, ; Yanjun Zhang, ; Keda Chen,
| | - Keda Chen
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Wang, ; Yanjun Zhang, ; Keda Chen,
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11
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Colton H, Hodgson D, Hornsby H, Brown R, Mckenzie J, Bradley KL, James C, Lindsey BB, Birch S, Marsh L, Wood S, Bayley M, Dickson G, James DC, Nicklin MJ, Sayers JR, Zafred D, Rowland-Jones SL, Kudesia G, Kucharski A, Darton TC, de Silva TI, Collini PJ. Risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence following the first pandemic wave in UK healthcare workers in a large NHS Foundation Trust. Wellcome Open Res 2022; 6:220. [PMID: 35600250 PMCID: PMC9091808 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17143.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: We aimed to measure SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in a cohort of healthcare workers (HCWs) during the first UK wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, explore risk factors associated with infection, and investigate the impact of antibody titres on assay sensitivity. Methods: HCWs at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were prospectively enrolled and sampled at two time points. We developed an in-house ELISA for testing participant serum for SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgA reactivity against Spike and Nucleoprotein. Data were analysed using three statistical models: a seroprevalence model, an antibody kinetics model, and a heterogeneous sensitivity model. Results: Our in-house assay had a sensitivity of 99·47% and specificity of 99·56%. We found that 24·4% (n=311/1275) of HCWs were seropositive as of 12th June 2020. Of these, 39·2% (n=122/311) were asymptomatic. The highest adjusted seroprevalence was measured in HCWs on the Acute Medical Unit (41·1%, 95% CrI 30·0-52·9) and in Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists (39·2%, 95% CrI 24·4-56·5). Older age groups showed overall higher median antibody titres. Further modelling suggests that, for a serological assay with an overall sensitivity of 80%, antibody titres may be markedly affected by differences in age, with sensitivity estimates of 89% in those over 60 years but 61% in those ≤30 years. Conclusions: HCWs in acute medical units and those working closely with COVID-19 patients were at highest risk of infection, though whether these are infections acquired from patients or other staff is unknown. Current serological assays may underestimate seroprevalence in younger age groups if validated using sera from older and/or more severe COVID-19 cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley Colton
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - David Hodgson
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Hailey Hornsby
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Rebecca Brown
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Joanne Mckenzie
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Kirsty L. Bradley
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Cameron James
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Benjamin B. Lindsey
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Sarah Birch
- Academic Directorate of Communicable Diseases and Specialised Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Louise Marsh
- Academic Directorate of Communicable Diseases and Specialised Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Steven Wood
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Martin Bayley
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Gary Dickson
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - David C. James
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Martin J. Nicklin
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Jon R. Sayers
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Domen Zafred
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Sarah L. Rowland-Jones
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Goura Kudesia
- Department of Virology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S5 7AU, UK
| | - Adam Kucharski
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - CMMID COVID-19 Working Group
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
- Academic Directorate of Communicable Diseases and Specialised Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Department of Virology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S5 7AU, UK
| | - Thomas C. Darton
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Thushan I. de Silva
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Paul J. Collini
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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12
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Hancock TJ, Hickman P, Kazerooni N, Kennedy M, Kania SA, Dennis M, Szafranski N, Gerhold R, Su C, Masi T, Smith S, Sparer TE. Possible Cross-Reactivity of Feline and White-Tailed Deer Antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain. J Virol 2022; 96:e0025022. [PMID: 35352999 PMCID: PMC9044950 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00250-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In late 2019, a novel coronavirus began circulating within humans in central China. It was designated SARS-CoV-2 because of its genetic similarities to the 2003 SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Now that SARS-CoV-2 has spread worldwide, there is a risk of it establishing new animal reservoirs and recombination with native circulating coronaviruses. To screen local animal populations in the United States for exposure to SARS-like coronaviruses, we developed a serological assay using the receptor binding domain (RBD) from SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2's RBD is antigenically distinct from common human and animal coronaviruses, allowing us to identify animals previously infected with SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2. Using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for SARS-CoV-2's RBD, we screened serum from wild and domestic animals for the presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2's RBD. Surprisingly prepandemic feline serum samples submitted to the University of Tennessee Veterinary Hospital were ∼50% positive for anti-SARS RBD antibodies. Some of these samples were serologically negative for feline coronavirus (FCoV), raising the question of the etiological agent generating anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD cross-reactivity. We also identified several white-tailed deer from South Carolina with anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. These results are intriguing, as cross-reactive antibodies toward SARS-CoV-2 RBD have not been reported to date. The etiological agent responsible for seropositivity was not readily apparent, but finding seropositive cats prior to the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic highlights our lack of information about circulating coronaviruses in other species. IMPORTANCE We report cross-reactive antibodies from prepandemic cats and postpandemic South Carolina white-tailed deer that are specific for that SARS-CoV RBD. There are several potential explanations for this cross-reactivity, each with important implications to coronavirus disease surveillance. Perhaps the most intriguing possibility is the existence and transmission of an etiological agent (such as another coronavirus) with similarity to SARS-CoV-2's RBD region. However, we lack conclusive evidence of prepandemic transmission of a SARS-like virus. Our findings provide impetus for the adoption of a One Health Initiative focusing on infectious disease surveillance of multiple animal species to predict the next zoonotic transmission to humans and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor J. Hancock
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Peyton Hickman
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Niloo Kazerooni
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Melissa Kennedy
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Stephen A. Kania
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Michelle Dennis
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Nicole Szafranski
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Richard Gerhold
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Tom Masi
- Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Stephen Smith
- MEDIC Regional Blood Center, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Tim E. Sparer
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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13
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Advances in purification of SARS-CoV-2 spike ectodomain protein using high-throughput screening and non-affinity methods. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4458. [PMID: 35292666 PMCID: PMC8923338 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07485-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The spike (S) glycoprotein of the pandemic virus, SARS-CoV-2, is a critically important target of vaccine design and therapeutic development. A high-yield, scalable, cGMP-compliant downstream process for the stabilized, soluble, native-like S protein ectodomain is necessary to meet the extensive material requirements for ongoing research and development. As of June 2021, S proteins have exclusively been purified using difficult-to-scale, low-yield methodologies such as affinity and size-exclusion chromatography. Herein we present the first known non-affinity purification method for two S constructs, S_dF_2P and HexaPro, expressed in the mammalian cell line, CHO-DG44. A high-throughput resin screen on the Tecan Freedom EVO200 automated bioprocess workstation led to identification of ion exchange resins as viable purification steps. The chromatographic unit operations along with industry-standard methodologies for viral clearances, low pH treatment and 20 nm filtration, were assessed for feasibility. The developed process was applied to purify HexaPro from a CHO-DG44 stable pool harvest and yielded the highest yet reported amount of pure S protein. Our results demonstrate that commercially available chromatography resins are suitable for cGMP manufacturing of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein constructs. We anticipate our results will provide a blueprint for worldwide biopharmaceutical production laboratories, as well as a starting point for process intensification.
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14
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Colton H, Hodgson D, Hornsby H, Brown R, Mckenzie J, Bradley KL, James C, Lindsey BB, Birch S, Marsh L, Wood S, Bayley M, Dickson G, James DC, Nicklin MJ, Sayers JR, Zafred D, Rowland-Jones SL, Kudesia G, Kucharski A, Darton TC, de Silva TI, Collini PJ. Risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence following the first pandemic wave in UK healthcare workers in a large NHS Foundation Trust. Wellcome Open Res 2022; 6:220. [PMID: 35600250 PMCID: PMC9091808 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17143.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: We aimed to measure SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in a cohort of healthcare workers (HCWs) during the first UK wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, explore risk factors associated with infection, and investigate the impact of antibody titres on assay sensitivity. Methods: HCWs at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were prospectively enrolled and sampled at two time points. We developed an in-house ELISA for testing participant serum for SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgA reactivity against Spike and Nucleoprotein. Data were analysed using three statistical models: a seroprevalence model, an antibody kinetics model, and a heterogeneous sensitivity model. Results: Our in-house assay had a sensitivity of 99·47% and specificity of 99·56%. We found that 24·4% (n=311/1275) of HCWs were seropositive as of 12th June 2020. Of these, 39·2% (n=122/311) were asymptomatic. The highest adjusted seroprevalence was measured in HCWs on the Acute Medical Unit (41·1%, 95% CrI 30·0-52·9) and in Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists (39·2%, 95% CrI 24·4-56·5). Older age groups showed overall higher median antibody titres. Further modelling suggests that, for a serological assay with an overall sensitivity of 80%, antibody titres may be markedly affected by differences in age, with sensitivity estimates of 89% in those over 60 years but 61% in those ≤30 years. Conclusions: HCWs in acute medical units and those working closely with COVID-19 patients were at highest risk of infection, though whether these are infections acquired from patients or other staff is unknown. Current serological assays may underestimate seroprevalence in younger age groups if validated using sera from older and/or more severe COVID-19 cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley Colton
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - David Hodgson
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Hailey Hornsby
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Rebecca Brown
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Joanne Mckenzie
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Kirsty L. Bradley
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Cameron James
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Benjamin B. Lindsey
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Sarah Birch
- Academic Directorate of Communicable Diseases and Specialised Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Louise Marsh
- Academic Directorate of Communicable Diseases and Specialised Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Steven Wood
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Martin Bayley
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Gary Dickson
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - David C. James
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Martin J. Nicklin
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Jon R. Sayers
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Domen Zafred
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Sarah L. Rowland-Jones
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Goura Kudesia
- Department of Virology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S5 7AU, UK
| | - Adam Kucharski
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - CMMID COVID-19 Working Group
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
- Academic Directorate of Communicable Diseases and Specialised Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Department of Virology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S5 7AU, UK
| | - Thomas C. Darton
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Thushan I. de Silva
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Paul J. Collini
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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15
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Mayrhofer P, Hunjadi M, Kunert R. Functional Trimeric SARS-CoV-2 Envelope Protein Expressed in Stable CHO Cells. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:779359. [PMID: 34976974 PMCID: PMC8718689 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.779359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a β-coronavirus, is the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the three membrane-bound envelope proteins is the spike protein (S), the one responsible for docking to the cellular surface protein ACE2 enabling infection with SARS-CoV-2. Although the structure of the S-protein has distinct similarities to other viral envelope proteins, robust and straightforward protocols for recombinant expression and purification are not described in the literature. Therefore, most studies are done with truncated versions of the protein, like the receptor-binding domain. To learn more about the interaction of the virus with the ACE2 and other cell surface proteins, it is mandatory to provide recombinant spike protein in high structural quality and adequate quantity. Additional mutant variants will give new insights on virus assembly, infection mechanism, and therapeutic drug development. Here, we describe the development of a recombinant CHO cell line stably expressing the extracellular domain of a trimeric variant of the SARS CoV-2 spike protein and discuss significant parameters to be considered during the expression and purification process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Renate Kunert
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Animal Cell Technology and Systems Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
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16
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Schaub JM, Chou CW, Kuo HC, Javanmardi K, Hsieh CL, Goldsmith J, DiVenere AM, Le KC, Wrapp D, Byrne PO, Hjorth CK, Johnson NV, Ludes-Meyers J, Nguyen AW, Wang N, Lavinder JJ, Ippolito GC, Maynard JA, McLellan JS, Finkelstein IJ. Expression and characterization of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins. Nat Protoc 2021; 16:5339-5356. [PMID: 34611365 PMCID: PMC9665560 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-021-00623-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike protein is a critical component of coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines and diagnostics and is also a therapeutic target. However, the spike protein is difficult to produce recombinantly because it is a large trimeric class I fusion membrane protein that is metastable and heavily glycosylated. We recently developed a prefusion-stabilized spike variant, termed HexaPro for six stabilizing proline substitutions, that can be expressed with a yield of >30 mg/L in ExpiCHO cells. This protocol describes an optimized workflow for expressing and biophysically characterizing rationally engineered spike proteins in Freestyle 293 and ExpiCHO cell lines. Although we focus on HexaPro, this protocol has been used to purify over a hundred different spike variants in our laboratories. We also provide guidance on expression quality control, long-term storage, and uses in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The entire protocol, from transfection to biophysical characterization, can be completed in 7 d by researchers with basic tissue cell culture and protein purification expertise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M Schaub
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Chia-Wei Chou
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hung-Che Kuo
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kamyab Javanmardi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ching-Lin Hsieh
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jory Goldsmith
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Andrea M DiVenere
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kevin C Le
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Daniel Wrapp
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Patrick O Byrne
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Christy K Hjorth
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Nicole V Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - John Ludes-Meyers
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Annalee W Nguyen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Nianshuang Wang
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jason J Lavinder
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Gregory C Ippolito
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Department of Oncology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jennifer A Maynard
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jason S McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ilya J Finkelstein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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17
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García-Cordero J, Mendoza-Ramírez J, Fernández-Benavides D, Roa-Velazquez D, Filisola-Villaseñor J, Martínez-Frías SP, Sanchez-Salguero ES, Miguel-Rodríguez CE, Maravillas Montero JL, Torres-Ruiz JJ, Gómez-Martín D, Argumedo LS, Morales-Ríos E, Alvarado-Orozco JM, Cedillo-Barrón L. Recombinant Protein Expression and Purification of N, S1, and RBD of SARS-CoV-2 from Mammalian Cells and Their Potential Applications. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11101808. [PMID: 34679506 PMCID: PMC8534734 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11101808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has reached an unprecedented level. There is a strong demand for diagnostic and serological supplies worldwide, making it necessary for countries to establish their own technologies to produce high-quality biomolecules. The two main viral antigens used for the diagnostics for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) are the structural proteins spike (S) protein and nucleocapsid (N) protein. The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 is cleaved into S1 and S2, in which the S1 subunit has the receptor-binding domain (RBD), which induces the production of neutralizing antibodies, whereas nucleocapsid is an ideal target for viral antigen-based detection. In this study, we designed plasmids, pcDNA3.1/S1 and pcDNA3.1/N, and optimized their expression of the recombinant S1 and N proteins from SARS-CoV-2 in a mammalian system. The RBD was used as a control. The antigens were successfully purified from Expi293 cells, with high yields of the S1, N, and RBD proteins. The immunogenic abilities of these proteins were demonstrated in a mouse model. Further, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with human serum samples showed that the SARS-CoV-2 antigens are a suitable alternative for serological assays to identify patients infected with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio García-Cordero
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular CINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, Mexico; (J.G.-C.); (J.M.-R.); (S.P.M.-F.); (E.S.S.-S.); (C.E.M.-R.); (L.S.A.)
| | - Juvenal Mendoza-Ramírez
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular CINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, Mexico; (J.G.-C.); (J.M.-R.); (S.P.M.-F.); (E.S.S.-S.); (C.E.M.-R.); (L.S.A.)
| | - David Fernández-Benavides
- Centro de Ingeniería y Desarrollo Industrial (CIDESI), Av. Playa Pie de la Cuesta No. 702, Desarrollo San Pablo, Querétaro 76125, Mexico; (D.F.-B.); (J.M.A.-O.)
| | - Daniela Roa-Velazquez
- Departamento de Bioquímica CINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, Mexico; (D.R.-V.); (J.F.-V.); (E.M.-R.)
| | - Jessica Filisola-Villaseñor
- Departamento de Bioquímica CINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, Mexico; (D.R.-V.); (J.F.-V.); (E.M.-R.)
| | - Sandra Paola Martínez-Frías
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular CINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, Mexico; (J.G.-C.); (J.M.-R.); (S.P.M.-F.); (E.S.S.-S.); (C.E.M.-R.); (L.S.A.)
| | - Erik Saul Sanchez-Salguero
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular CINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, Mexico; (J.G.-C.); (J.M.-R.); (S.P.M.-F.); (E.S.S.-S.); (C.E.M.-R.); (L.S.A.)
| | - Carlos E. Miguel-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular CINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, Mexico; (J.G.-C.); (J.M.-R.); (S.P.M.-F.); (E.S.S.-S.); (C.E.M.-R.); (L.S.A.)
| | - Jose L. Maravillas Montero
- Red de Apoyo a la Investigación, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México e Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Vasco de Quiroga 15, Tlalpan, México City 14080, Mexico;
| | - Jose J. Torres-Ruiz
- Departamento de Inmunología y Reumatología, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Vasco de Quiroga 15, Tlalpan, México City 14080, Mexico; (J.J.T.-R.); (D.G.-M.)
| | - Diana Gómez-Martín
- Departamento de Inmunología y Reumatología, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Vasco de Quiroga 15, Tlalpan, México City 14080, Mexico; (J.J.T.-R.); (D.G.-M.)
| | - Leopoldo Santos Argumedo
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular CINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, Mexico; (J.G.-C.); (J.M.-R.); (S.P.M.-F.); (E.S.S.-S.); (C.E.M.-R.); (L.S.A.)
| | - Edgar Morales-Ríos
- Departamento de Bioquímica CINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, Mexico; (D.R.-V.); (J.F.-V.); (E.M.-R.)
| | - Juan M. Alvarado-Orozco
- Centro de Ingeniería y Desarrollo Industrial (CIDESI), Av. Playa Pie de la Cuesta No. 702, Desarrollo San Pablo, Querétaro 76125, Mexico; (D.F.-B.); (J.M.A.-O.)
| | - Leticia Cedillo-Barrón
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular CINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, Mexico; (J.G.-C.); (J.M.-R.); (S.P.M.-F.); (E.S.S.-S.); (C.E.M.-R.); (L.S.A.)
- Correspondence:
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18
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Abstract
The emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic increased the interest in analysis of immunoglobulin responses. ELISA and lateral flow assays are widely used but are restricted by a single response value to an antigen or antigen pool. Here, we describe antigen microarrays, an alternative allowing simultaneous assessment of multiple interactions between antigens and the immunoglobulin content of patient sera. The technique requires minimal reagents and sample input and can be adapted to a wide variety of potential antigenic targets of interest.
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19
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Colton H, Hodgson D, Hornsby H, Brown R, Mckenzie J, Bradley KL, James C, Lindsey BB, Birch S, Marsh L, Wood S, Bayley M, Dickson G, James DC, Nicklin MJ, Sayers JR, Zafred D, Rowland-Jones SL, Kudesia G, Kucharski A, Darton TC, de Silva TI, Collini PJ. Risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence following the first pandemic wave in UK healthcare workers in a large NHS Foundation Trust. Wellcome Open Res 2021; 6:220. [PMID: 35600250 PMCID: PMC9091808 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17143.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: We aimed to measure SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in a cohort of healthcare workers (HCWs) during the first UK wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, explore risk factors associated with infection, and investigate the impact of antibody titres on assay sensitivity. Methods: HCWs at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were prospectively enrolled and sampled at two time points. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were tested using an in-house assay for IgG and IgA reactivity against Spike and Nucleoprotein (sensitivity 99·47%, specificity 99·56%). Data were analysed using three statistical models: a seroprevalence model, an antibody kinetics model, and a heterogeneous sensitivity model. Results: As of 12th June 2020, 24·4% (n=311/1275) of HCWs were seropositive. Of these, 39·2% (n=122/311) were asymptomatic. The highest adjusted seroprevalence was measured in HCWs on the Acute Medical Unit (41·1%, 95% CrI 30·0-52·9) and in Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists (39·2%, 95% CrI 24·4-56·5). Older age groups showed overall higher median antibody titres. Further modelling suggests that, for a serological assay with an overall sensitivity of 80%, antibody titres may be markedly affected by differences in age, with sensitivity estimates of 89% in those over 60 years but 61% in those ≤30 years. Conclusions: HCWs in acute medical units working closely with COVID-19 patients were at highest risk of infection, though whether these are infections acquired from patients or other staff is unknown. Current serological assays may underestimate seroprevalence in younger age groups if validated using sera from older and/or more symptomatic individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley Colton
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - David Hodgson
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Hailey Hornsby
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Rebecca Brown
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Joanne Mckenzie
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Kirsty L. Bradley
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Cameron James
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Benjamin B. Lindsey
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Sarah Birch
- Academic Directorate of Communicable Diseases and Specialised Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Louise Marsh
- Academic Directorate of Communicable Diseases and Specialised Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Steven Wood
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Martin Bayley
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - Gary Dickson
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
| | - David C. James
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Martin J. Nicklin
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Jon R. Sayers
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Domen Zafred
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Sarah L. Rowland-Jones
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Goura Kudesia
- Department of Virology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S5 7AU, UK
| | - Adam Kucharski
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - CMMID COVID-19 Working Group
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
- Academic Directorate of Communicable Diseases and Specialised Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Department of Virology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S5 7AU, UK
| | - Thomas C. Darton
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Thushan I. de Silva
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Paul J. Collini
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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20
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Cibelli NL, Arias GF, Figur ML, Khayat SS, Leach KM, Loukinov I, Gulla KC, Gowetski DB. Advances in Purification of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Ectodomain Protein Using High-Throughput Screening and Non-Affinity Methods. RESEARCH SQUARE 2021:rs.3.rs-778537. [PMID: 34426807 PMCID: PMC8382130 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-778537/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The spike (S) glycoprotein of the pandemic virus, SARS-CoV-2, is a critically important target of vaccine design and therapeutic development. A high-yield, scalable, cGMP-compliant downstream process for the stabilized, soluble, native-like S protein ectodomain is necessary to meet the extensive material requirements for ongoing research and development. As of June 2021, S proteins have exclusively been purified using difficult-to-scale, low-yield methodologies such as affinity and size-exclusion chromatography. Herein we present the first known non-affinity purification method for two S constructs, S_dF_2P and HexaPro, expressed in the mammalian cell line, CHO-DG44. A high-throughput resin screen on the Tecan Freedom EVO200 automated bioprocess workstation led to identification of ion exchange resins as viable purification steps. The chromatographic unit operations along with industry-standard methodologies for viral clearances, low pH treatment and 20 nm filtration, were assessed for feasibility. The developed process was applied to purify HexaPro from a CHO-DG44 stable pool harvest and yielded the highest yet reported amount of pure S protein. Our results demonstrate that commercially available chromatography resins are suitable for cGMP manufacturing of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein constructs. We anticipate our results will provide a blueprint for worldwide biopharmaceutical production laboratories, as well as a starting point for process intensification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L. Cibelli
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Gabriel F. Arias
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - McKenzie L. Figur
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Shireen S. Khayat
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Kristin M. Leach
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Ivan Loukinov
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Krishana C. Gulla
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Daniel B. Gowetski
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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21
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Allen JD, Chawla H, Samsudin F, Zuzic L, Shivgan AT, Watanabe Y, He WT, Callaghan S, Song G, Yong P, Brouwer PJM, Song Y, Cai Y, Duyvesteyn HME, Malinauskas T, Kint J, Pino P, Wurm MJ, Frank M, Chen B, Stuart DI, Sanders RW, Andrabi R, Burton DR, Li S, Bond PJ, Crispin M. Site-Specific Steric Control of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycosylation. Biochemistry 2021; 60:2153-2169. [PMID: 34213308 PMCID: PMC8262170 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
A central tenet in the design of vaccines is the display of native-like antigens in the elicitation of protective immunity. The abundance of N-linked glycans across the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is a potential source of heterogeneity among the many different vaccine candidates under investigation. Here, we investigate the glycosylation of recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins from five different laboratories and compare them against S protein from infectious virus, cultured in Vero cells. We find patterns that are conserved across all samples, and this can be associated with site-specific stalling of glycan maturation that acts as a highly sensitive reporter of protein structure. Molecular dynamics simulations of a fully glycosylated spike support a model of steric restrictions that shape enzymatic processing of the glycans. These results suggest that recombinant spike-based SARS-CoV-2 immunogen glycosylation reproducibly recapitulates signatures of viral glycosylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel D. Allen
- School
of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, U.K.
| | - Himanshi Chawla
- School
of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, U.K.
| | - Firdaus Samsudin
- Bioinformatics
Institute, Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671
| | - Lorena Zuzic
- Bioinformatics
Institute, Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Institute
of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K.
| | - Aishwary Tukaram Shivgan
- Bioinformatics
Institute, Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671
- Department
of Biological Sciences, National University
of Singapore, Singapore 117543
| | - Yasunori Watanabe
- School
of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, U.K.
| | - Wan-ting He
- Department
of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- IAVI
Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Consortium
for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Sean Callaghan
- Department
of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- IAVI
Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Consortium
for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Ge Song
- Department
of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- IAVI
Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Consortium
for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Peter Yong
- Department
of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- IAVI
Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Consortium
for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Philip J. M. Brouwer
- Department
of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC,
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yutong Song
- Tsinghua-Peking
Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Beijing
Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Frontier Research
Center for Biological Structure, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yongfei Cai
- Division
of Molecular Medicine, Boston Children’s
Hospital, 3 Blackfan
Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Helen M. E. Duyvesteyn
- Division
of Structural Biology, University of Oxford,
The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Headington, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Tomas Malinauskas
- Division
of Structural Biology, University of Oxford,
The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Headington, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Joeri Kint
- ExcellGene SA, CH1870 Monthey, Switzerland
| | - Paco Pino
- ExcellGene SA, CH1870 Monthey, Switzerland
| | | | - Martin Frank
- Biognos AB, Generatorsgatan
1, 41705 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Bing Chen
- Division
of Molecular Medicine, Boston Children’s
Hospital, 3 Blackfan
Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department
of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - David I. Stuart
- Division
of Structural Biology, University of Oxford,
The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Headington, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science
& Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, U.K.
| | - Rogier W. Sanders
- Department
of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC,
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical
College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Raiees Andrabi
- Department
of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- IAVI
Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Consortium
for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Dennis R. Burton
- Department
of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- IAVI
Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps
Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Consortium
for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General
Hospital, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Sai Li
- Tsinghua-Peking
Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Beijing
Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Frontier Research
Center for Biological Structure, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Peter J. Bond
- Bioinformatics
Institute, Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671
- Department
of Biological Sciences, National University
of Singapore, Singapore 117543
| | - Max Crispin
- School
of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, U.K.
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22
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Hodgson D, Colton H, Hornsby H, Brown R, Mckenzie J, Bradley KL, James C, Lindsey BB, Birch S, Marsh L, Wood S, Bayley M, Dickson G, James DC, Nicklin MJH, Sayers JR, Zafred D, Rowland-Jones SL, Kudesia G, Kucharski A, Darton TC, de Silva TI, Collini PJ. Risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence following the first pandemic wave in UK healthcare workers in a large NHS Foundation Trust. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2021:2021.07.07.21260151. [PMID: 34268521 PMCID: PMC8282110 DOI: 10.1101/2021.07.07.21260151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to measure SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in a cohort of healthcare workers (HCWs) during the first UK wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, explore risk factors associated with infection, and investigate the impact of antibody titres on assay sensitivity. METHODS HCWs at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (STH) were prospectively enrolled and sampled at two time points. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were tested using an in-house assay for IgG and IgA reactivity against Spike and Nucleoprotein (sensitivity 99·47%, specificity 99·56%). Data were analysed using three statistical models: a seroprevalence model, an antibody kinetics model, and a heterogeneous sensitivity model. FINDINGS As of 12th June 2020, 24·4% (n=311/1275) HCWs were seropositive. Of these, 39·2% (n=122/311) were asymptomatic. The highest adjusted seroprevalence was measured in HCWs on the Acute Medical Unit (41·1%, 95% CrI 30·0-52·9) and in Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists (39·2%, 95% CrI 24·4-56·5). Older age groups showed overall higher median antibody titres. Further modelling suggests that, for a serological assay with an overall sensitivity of 80%, antibody titres may be markedly affected by differences in age, with sensitivity estimates of 89% in those over 60 years but 61% in those ≤30 years. INTERPRETATION HCWs in acute medical units working closely with COVID-19 patients were at highest risk of infection, though whether these are infections acquired from patients or other staff is unknown. Current serological assays may underestimate seroprevalence in younger age groups if validated using sera from older and/or more symptomatic individuals. RESEARCH IN CONTEXT Evidence before this study: We searched PubMed for studies published up to March 6th 2021, using the terms "COVID", "SARS-CoV-2", "seroprevalence", and "healthcare workers", and in addition for articles of antibody titres in different age groups against coronaviruses using "coronavirus", "SARS-CoV-2, "antibody", "antibody tires", "COVID" and "age". We included studies that used serology to estimate prevalence in healthcare workers. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence has been shown to be greater in healthcare workers working on acute medical units or within domestic services. Antibody levels against seasonal coronaviruses, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 were found to be higher in older adults, and patients who were hospitalised.Added value of this study: In this healthcare worker seroprevalence modelling study at a large NHS foundation trust, we confirm that those working on acute medical units, COVID-19 "Red Zones" and within domestic services are most likely to be seropositive. Furthermore, we show that physiotherapists and occupational therapists have an increased risk of COVID-19 infection. We also confirm that antibody titres are greater in older individuals, even in the context of non-hospitalised cases. Importantly, we demonstrate that this can result in age-specific sensitivity in serological assays, where lower antibody titres in younger individuals results in lower assay sensitivity.Implications of all the available evidence: There are distinct occupational roles and locations in hospitals where the risk of COVID-19 infection to healthcare workers is greatest, and this knowledge should be used to prioritise infection prevention control and other measures to protect healthcare workers. Serological assays may have different sensitivity profiles across different age groups, especially if assay validation was undertaken using samples from older and/or hospitalised patients, who tend to have higher antibody titres. Future seroprevalence studies should consider adjusting for age-specific assay sensitivities to estimate true seroprevalence rates. AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
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Affiliation(s)
- David Hodgson
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
| | - Hayley Colton
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Hailey Hornsby
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Rebecca Brown
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Joanne Mckenzie
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Kirsty L Bradley
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Cameron James
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Benjamin B Lindsey
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Sarah Birch
- Academic Directorate of Communicable Diseases and Specialised Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Louise Marsh
- Academic Directorate of Communicable Diseases and Specialised Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Steven Wood
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Martin Bayley
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Gary Dickson
- Department of Scientific Computing and Informatics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - David C James
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Martin J H Nicklin
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Jon R Sayers
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Domen Zafred
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Sarah L Rowland-Jones
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Goura Kudesia
- Department of Virology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Adam Kucharski
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
| | - Thomas C Darton
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Paul J Collini
- South Yorkshire Regional Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, UK
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, UK
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23
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Budge JD, Young RJ, Smales CM. Engineering of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells With NDPK-A to Enhance DNA Nuclear Delivery Combined With EBNA1 Plasmid Maintenance Gives Improved Exogenous Transient Reporter, mAb and SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Expression. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:679448. [PMID: 34150735 PMCID: PMC8212061 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.679448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Transient gene expression (TGE) in mammalian cells is a method of rapidly generating recombinant protein material for initial characterisation studies that does not require time-consuming processes associated with stable cell line construction. High TGE yields are heavily dependent on efficient delivery of plasmid DNA across both the plasma and nuclear membranes. Here, we harness the protein nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK-A) that contains a nuclear localisation signal (NLS) to enhance DNA delivery into the nucleus of CHO cells. We show that co-expression of NDPK-A during transient expression results in improved transfection efficiency in CHO cells, presumably due to enhanced transportation of plasmid DNA into the nucleus via the nuclear pore complex. Furthermore, introduction of the Epstein Barr Nuclear Antigen-1 (EBNA-1), a protein that is capable of inducing extrachromosomal maintenance, when coupled with complementary oriP elements on a transient plasmid, was utilised to reduce the effect of plasmid dilution. Whilst there was attenuated growth upon introduction of the EBNA-1 system into CHO cells, when both NDPK-A nuclear import and EBNA-1 mediated technologies were employed together this resulted in enhanced transient recombinant protein yields superior to those generated using either approach independently, including when expressing the complex SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Budge
- Industrial Biotechnology Centre, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Robert J Young
- R&D Cell Engineering Group, Lonza Biologics, Chesterford Research Park, Saffron Walden, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Mark Smales
- Industrial Biotechnology Centre, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
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24
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Valdez-Cruz NA, García-Hernández E, Espitia C, Cobos-Marín L, Altamirano C, Bando-Campos CG, Cofas-Vargas LF, Coronado-Aceves EW, González-Hernández RA, Hernández-Peralta P, Juárez-López D, Ortega-Portilla PA, Restrepo-Pineda S, Zelada-Cordero P, Trujillo-Roldán MA. Integrative overview of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and their possible applications in COVID-19 prophylaxis and treatment. Microb Cell Fact 2021; 20:88. [PMID: 33888152 PMCID: PMC8061467 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-021-01576-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a novel β-coronavirus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic disease, which spread rapidly, infecting more than 134 million people, and killing almost 2.9 million thus far. Based on the urgent need for therapeutic and prophylactic strategies, the identification and characterization of antibodies has been accelerated, since they have been fundamental in treating other viral diseases. Here, we summarized in an integrative manner the present understanding of the immune response and physiopathology caused by SARS-CoV-2, including the activation of the humoral immune response in SARS-CoV-2 infection and therefore, the synthesis of antibodies. Furthermore, we also discussed about the antibodies that can be generated in COVID-19 convalescent sera and their associated clinical studies, including a detailed characterization of a variety of human antibodies and identification of antibodies from other sources, which have powerful neutralizing capacities. Accordingly, the development of effective treatments to mitigate COVID-19 is expected. Finally, we reviewed the challenges faced in producing potential therapeutic antibodies and nanobodies by cell factories at an industrial level while ensuring their quality, efficacy, and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norma A Valdez-Cruz
- Programa de Investigación de Producción de Biomoléculas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México.
| | - Enrique García-Hernández
- Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Clara Espitia
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Laura Cobos-Marín
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria Y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Claudia Altamirano
- Escuela de Ingeniería Bioquímica, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Brasil N° 2950, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Carlos G Bando-Campos
- Programa de Investigación de Producción de Biomoléculas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Luis F Cofas-Vargas
- Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Enrique W Coronado-Aceves
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ricardo A González-Hernández
- Programa de Investigación de Producción de Biomoléculas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Pablo Hernández-Peralta
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria Y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Daniel Juárez-López
- Programa de Investigación de Producción de Biomoléculas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Paola A Ortega-Portilla
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Sara Restrepo-Pineda
- Programa de Investigación de Producción de Biomoléculas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Patricio Zelada-Cordero
- Programa de Investigación de Producción de Biomoléculas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Mauricio A Trujillo-Roldán
- Programa de Investigación de Producción de Biomoléculas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, México.
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25
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Allen JD, Chawla H, Samsudin F, Zuzic L, Shivgan AT, Watanabe Y, He WT, Callaghan S, Song G, Yong P, Brouwer PJM, Song Y, Cai Y, Duyvesteyn HME, Malinauskas T, Kint J, Pino P, Wurm MJ, Frank M, Chen B, Stuart DI, Sanders RW, Andrabi R, Burton DR, Li S, Bond PJ, Crispin M. Site-specific steric control of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycosylation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.03.08.433764. [PMID: 33758835 PMCID: PMC7986994 DOI: 10.1101/2021.03.08.433764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
A central tenet in the design of vaccines is the display of native-like antigens in the elicitation of protective immunity. The abundance of N-linked glycans across the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is a potential source of heterogeneity between the many different vaccine candidates under investigation. Here, we investigate the glycosylation of recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins from five different laboratories and compare them against infectious virus S protein. We find patterns which are conserved across all samples and this can be associated with site-specific stalling of glycan maturation which act as a highly sensitive reporter of protein structure. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a fully glycosylated spike support s a model of steric restrictions that shape enzymatic processing of the glycans. These results suggest that recombinant spike-based SARS-CoV-2 immunogen glycosylation reproducibly recapitulates signatures of viral glycosylation.
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26
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Stuible M, Gervais C, Lord-Dufour S, Perret S, L'Abbé D, Schrag J, St-Laurent G, Durocher Y. Rapid, high-yield production of full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike ectodomain by transient gene expression in CHO cells. J Biotechnol 2021; 326:21-27. [PMID: 33301853 PMCID: PMC7720734 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2020.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant forms of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses have proven difficult to produce with good yields in mammalian cells. Given the panoply of potential COVID-19 diagnostic tools and therapeutic candidates that require purified spike protein and its importance for ongoing SARS-CoV-2 research, we have explored new approaches for spike production and purification. Three transient gene expression methods based on PEI-mediated transfection of CHO or HEK293 cells in suspension culture in chemically-defined media were compared for rapid production of full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike ectodomain. A high-cell-density protocol using DXB11-derived CHOBRI/55E1 cells gave substantially better yields than the other methods. Different forms of the spike ectodomain were expressed, including the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 sequence and a mutated form (to favor expression of the full-length spike ectodomain stabilized in pre-fusion conformation), with and without fusion to putative trimerization domains. An efficient two-step affinity purification method was also developed. Ultimately, we have been able to produce highly homogenous preparations of full-length spike, both monomeric and trimeric, with yields of 100-150 mg/L in the harvested medium. The speed and productivity of this method support further development of CHO-based approaches for recombinant spike protein manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Stuible
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Christian Gervais
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Simon Lord-Dufour
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Sylvie Perret
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Denis L'Abbé
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Joseph Schrag
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Gilles St-Laurent
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Yves Durocher
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada.
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27
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Trimeric SARS-CoV-2 Spike Proteins Produced from CHO Cells in Bioreactors Are High-Quality Antigens. Processes (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/pr8121539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The spike protein of the pandemic human corona virus is essential for its entry into human cells. In fact, most neutralizing antibodies against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are directed against the Virus-surface exposed spike protein, making it the antigen of choice for use in vaccines and diagnostic tests. In the current pandemic context, global demand for spike proteins has rapidly increased and could exceed hundreds of grams to kilograms annually. Coronavirus spikes are large heavily glycosylated homo-trimeric complexes, with inherent instability. The poor manufacturability now threatens the availability of these proteins for vaccines and diagnostic tests. Here, we outline scalable, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliant, and chemically defined processes for the production of two cell-secreted stabilized forms of the trimeric spike proteins (Wuhan and D614G variant). The processes are chemically defined and based on clonal suspension-CHO cell populations and on protein purification via a two-step scalable downstream process. The trimeric conformation was confirmed using electron microscopy and HPLC analysis. Binding to susceptible cells was shown using a virus-inhibition assay. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for detection of serum SARS-CoV-2-specific-immunoglobulin molecules was found to exceed that of spike fragments (Spike subunit-1, S1 and Receptor Binding Domain, RBD). The process described here will enable production of sufficient high-quality trimeric spike protein to meet the global demand for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests and potentially vaccines.
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