Metalloproteinase activity is the sole factor responsible for the growth-promoting effect of conditioned medium in Trichoplusia ni insect cell cultures

Polarization Controlled Assembly of Ultrathin Thiorphan Nanostructures on ZnO Surface Facets

Despite the importance of thiorphan as a small molecule with vital biological roles, its interactions with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials that are prospective in drug delivery and theranostic applications have not yet been sufficiently explored. Here the impact of surface polarity of different ZnO facets on thiorphan adsorption is studied both experimentally by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and angle resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and theoretically by force field molecular dynamics (FFMD) and density functional tight binding simulations (DFTB). Polar ZnO surfaces cause the formation of thiorphan nanodots, where the size of the nanodots depends on the direction of dipoles: small (4 nm) nanodots are formed on Zn-face ZnO, while large (25 nm) nanodots are formed on O-face ZnO. Nonpolar ZnO surfaces cause self-assembly into layered nanoislands with characteristic 4 nm layer thickness, which subsequently merge into rigid nanolayers. The self-assembly is shown to be controlled solely by the effect of surface dipole electric field orientation and magnitude, whereas effects of surface chemistry or solution are negligible. The results thus also show a way for controlling the assembly of thiorphan and other molecular nanomaterials for diverse applications.

Generating a host range-expanded recombinant baculovirus

As baculoviruses usually have a narrow insecticidal spectrum, knowing the mechanisms by which they control the host-range is prerequisite for improvement of their applications as pesticides. In this study, from supernatant of culture cells transfected with DNAs of an Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) mutant lacking the antiapoptotic gene p35 (vAc(∆P35)) and a cosmid representing a fragment of Spodoptera exigua nucleopolyhedrovirus (SeMNPV), a viral strain was plaque-purified and named vAcRev. vAcRev had a broader host range than either vAc(∆P35) or SeMNPV parental virus, being able to infect not only the permissive hosts of its parental viruses but also a nonpermissive host (Spodoptera litura). Genome sequencing indicated that vAcRev comprises a mixture of two viruses with different circular dsDNA genomes. One virus contains a genome similar to vAc(∆P35), while in the other viral genome, a 24.4 kbp-fragment containing 10 essential genesis replaced with a 4 kbp-fragment containing three SeMNPV genes including a truncated Se-iap3 gene. RNA interference and ectopic expression assays found that Se-iap3 is responsible for the host range expansion of vAcRev, suggesting that Se-iap3 inhibits the progression of apoptosis initiated by viral infection and promotes viral propagation in hosts both permissive and non-permissive for AcMNPV and SeMNPV.

Identification of autocrine growth factors secreted by CHO cells for applications in single-cell cloning media

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines are widely used for the expression of therapeutic recombinant proteins, including monoclonal antibodies and other biologics. For manufacturing, cells derived from a single-cell clone are typically used to ensure product consistency. Presently, fetal bovine serum (FBS) is commonly used to support low cell density cultures to obtain clonal cell populations because cells grow slowly, or even do not survive at low cell densities in protein-free media. However, regulatory authorities have discouraged the use of FBS to reduce the risk of contamination by adventitious agents from animal-derived components. In this study, we demonstrated how a complementary mass spectrometry-based shotgun proteomics strategy enabled the identification of autocrine growth factors in CHO cell-conditioned media, which has led to the development of a fully defined single-cell cloning media that is serum and animal component-free. Out of 290 secreted proteins that were identified, eight secreted growth factors were reported for the first time from CHO cell cultures. By supplementing a combination of these growth factors to protein-free basal media, single cell growth of CHO cells was improved with cloning efficiencies of up to 30%, a 2-fold improvement compared to unsupplemented basal media. Complementary effects of these autocrine growth factors with other paracrine growth factors were also demonstrated when the mixture improved cloning efficiency to 42%, similar to that for the conditioned medium.

Proliferation of NS0 cells in protein-free medium: the role of cell-derived proteins, known growth factors and cellular receptors

NS0 cells proliferate without external supply of growth factors in protein-free media. We hypothesize that the cells produce their own factors to support proliferation. Understanding the mechanisms behind this autocrine regulation of proliferation may open for the novel approaches to improve animal cell processes. The following proteins were identified in NS0 conditioned medium (CM): cyclophilin A, cyclophilin B (CypB), cystatin C, D-dopachrome tautomerase, IL-25, isopentenyl-diphosphate delta-isomerase, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), beta(2)-microglobulin, Niemann pick type C2, secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor, thioredoxin-1, TNF-alpha, tumour protein translationally controlled 1 and ubiquitin. Further, cDNA microarray analysis indicated that the genes for IL-11, TNF receptor 6, TGF-beta receptor 1 and the IFN-gamma receptor were transcribed. CypB, IFN-alpha/beta/gamma, IL-11, IL-25, MIF, TGF-beta and TNF-alpha as well as the known growth factors EGF, IGF-I/II, IL-6, leukaemia inhibitory factor and oncostatin M (OSM) were excluded as involved in autocrine regulation of NS0 cell proliferation. The receptors for TGF-beta, IGF and OSM are however present in NS0 cell membranes since TGF-beta(1) caused cell death, and IGF-I/II and OSM improved cell growth. Even though no ligand was found, the receptor subunit gp130, active in signal transduction of the IL-6 like proteins, was shown to be essential for NS0 cells as demonstrated by siRNA gene silencing.

A homologue of cathepsin L identified in conditioned medium from Sf9 insect cells

Gelatin zymography revealed the presence of proteolytic activity in conditioned medium (CM) from a serum-free, non-infected Spodoptera frugiperda, Sf9 insect cell culture. Two peptidase bands at about 49 and 39 kDa were detected and found to be proform and active form of the same enzyme. The 49-kDa form was visible on zymogram gels in samples of CM taken on days 4 and 5 of an Sf9 culture, while the 39-kDa form was seen on days 6 and 7. On basis of the inhibitor profile and substrate range, the enzyme was identified as an Sf9 homologue of cathepsin L, a papain-like cysteine peptidase. After lowering the pH of Sf9 CM to 3.5, an additional peptidase band at 22 kDa appeared. This peptidase showed the same inhibitor profile, substrate range and optimum pH (5.0) as the 39-kDa form, indicating that Sf9 cathepsin L has two active forms, at 39 and 22 kDa. Addition of the cysteine peptidase inhibitor E-64c to an Sf9 culture inhibited all proteolytic activities of Sf9 cathepsin L but did not influence the proliferation of Sf9 cells.