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Boix-Besora A, Gòdia F, Cervera L. Gag Virus-like Particles Functionalized with SARS-CoV-2 Variants: Generation, Characterization and Recognition by COVID-19 Convalescent Patients' Sera. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1641. [PMID: 38005972 PMCID: PMC10675557 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11111641] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The robustness, safety, versatility, and high immunogenicity of virus-like particles (VLPs) make them a promising approach for the generation of vaccines against a broad range of pathogens. VLPs are recombinant macromolecular structures that closely mimic the native conformation of viruses without carrying viral genetic material. Particularly, HIV-1 Gag-based VLPs are a suitable platform for the presentation of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein on their surface. In this context, this work studies the effect of different rationally engineered mutations of the S protein to improve some of its characteristics. The studied variants harbored mutations such as proline substitutions for S stabilization, D614G from the early dominant pandemic form, the elimination of the S1/S2 furin cleavage site to improve S homogeneity, the suppression of a retention motif to favor its membrane localization, and cysteine substitutions to increase its immunogenicity and avoid potential undesired antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) effects. The influence of the mutations on VLP expression was studied, as well as their immunogenic potential, by testing the recognition of the generated VLP variants by COVID-19 convalescent patients' sera. The results of this work are conceived to give insights on the selection of S protein candidates for their use as immunogens and to showcase the potential of VLPs as carriers for antigen presentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnau Boix-Besora
- Grup d’Enginyeria de Bioprocessos i Biocatàlisi Aplicada ENG4BIO, Escola d’Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
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Li WY, Yin S, Huang SW, Yang MH, Chen PM, Wu SR, Welsher K, Yang H, Arthur Chen YM. The trajectory patterns of single HIV-1 virus-like particle in live CD4 cells: A real time three-dimensional multi-resolution microscopy study using encapsulated nonblinking giant quantum dot. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND INFECTION = WEI MIAN YU GAN RAN ZA ZHI 2023; 56:257-266. [PMID: 36127231 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2022.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The exploration of virology knowledge was limited by the optical technology for the observation of virus. Previously, a three-dimensional multi-resolution real-time microscope system (3D-MRM) was developed to observe the uptake of HIV-1-tat peptide-modified nanoparticles in cell membrane. In this study, we labeled HIV-1 virus-like particles (VLPs) with passivated giant quantum dots (gQDs) and recorded their interactive trajectories with human Jurkat CD4 cells through 3D-MRM. METHODS The labeled of gQDs of the HIV-1 VLPs in sucrose-gradient purified viral lysates was first confirmed by Cryo-electronic microscopy and Western blot assay. After the infection with CD4 cells, the gQD-labeled VLPs were visualized and their extracellular and intracellular trajectories were recorded by 3D-MRM. RESULTS A total of 208 prime trajectories was identified and classified into three distinct patterns: cell-free random diffusion pattern, directional movement pattern and cell-associated movement pattern, with distributions and mean durations were 72.6%/87.6 s, 9.1%/402.7 s and 18.3%/68.7 s, respectively. Further analysis of the spatial-temporal relationship between VLP trajectories and CD4 cells revealed the three stages of interactions: (1) cell-associated (extracellular) diffusion stage, (2) cell membrane surfing stage and (3) intracellular directional movement stage. CONCLUSION A complete trajectory of HIV-1 VLP interacting with CD4 cells was presented in animation. This encapsulating method could increase the accuracy for the observation of HIV-1-CD4 cell interaction in real time and three dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-You Li
- Laboratory of Important Infectious Diseases and Cancer, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242, Taiwan
| | - Shuhui Yin
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Szu-Wei Huang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Ming-Hui Yang
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan
| | - Patricia Mt Chen
- College of Medicine, California Northstate University, Elk Grove, CA 95757, USA
| | - Shang-Rung Wu
- Institute of Oral Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Kevin Welsher
- French Family Science Center, Department of Chemistry, 124 Science Drive, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Haw Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Yi-Ming Arthur Chen
- Laboratory of Important Infectious Diseases and Cancer, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242, Taiwan; National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County 350, Taiwan.
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Martins SA, Santos J, Silva RDM, Rosa C, Cabo Verde S, Correia JDG, Melo R. How promising are HIV-1-based virus-like particles for medical applications. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:997875. [PMID: 36275021 PMCID: PMC9585283 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.997875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
New approaches aimed at identifying patient-specific drug targets and addressing unmet clinical needs in the framework of precision medicine are a strong motivation for researchers worldwide. As scientists learn more about proteins that drive known diseases, they are better able to design promising therapeutic approaches to target those proteins. The field of nanotechnology has been extensively explored in the past years, and nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as promising systems for target-specific delivery of drugs. Virus-like particles (VLPs) arise as auspicious NPs due to their intrinsic properties. The lack of viral genetic material and the inability to replicate, together with tropism conservation and antigenicity characteristic of the native virus prompted extensive interest in their use as vaccines or as delivery systems for therapeutic and/or imaging agents. Owing to its simplicity and non-complex structure, one of the viruses currently under study for the construction of VLPs is the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Typically, HIV-1-based VLPs are used for antibody discovery, vaccines, diagnostic reagent development and protein-based assays. This review will be centered on the use of HIV-1-based VLPs and their potential biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia A. Martins
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joana Santos
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rúben D. M. Silva
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Cátia Rosa
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sandra Cabo Verde
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João D. G. Correia
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- *Correspondence: João D. G. Correia, ; Rita Melo,
| | - Rita Melo
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- *Correspondence: João D. G. Correia, ; Rita Melo,
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Boix-Besora A, Lorenzo E, Lavado-García J, Gòdia F, Cervera L. Optimization, Production, Purification and Characterization of HIV-1 GAG-Based Virus-like Particles Functionalized with SARS-CoV-2. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10020250. [PMID: 35214708 PMCID: PMC8874421 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10020250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) constitute a promising approach to recombinant vaccine development. They are robust, safe, versatile and highly immunogenic supra-molecular structures that closely mimic the native conformation of viruses without carrying their genetic material. HIV-1 Gag VLPs share similar characteristics with wild-type severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, making them a suitable platform for the expression of its spike membrane protein to generate a potential vaccine candidate for COVID-19. This work proposes a methodology for the generation of SARS-CoV-2 VLPs by their co-expression with HIV-1 Gag protein. We achieved VLP functionalization with coronavirus spike protein, optimized its expression using a design of experiments (DoE). We also performed the bioprocess at a bioreactor scale followed by a scalable downstream purification process consisting of two clarifications, an ion exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. The whole production process is conceived to enhance its transferability at current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) industrial scale manufacturing. Moreover, the approach proposed could be expanded to produce additional Gag-based VLPs against different diseases or COVID-19 variants.
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Lavado-García J, Zhang T, Cervera L, Gòdia F, Wuhrer M. Differential N- and O-glycosylation signatures of HIV-1 Gag virus-like particles and coproduced extracellular vesicles. Biotechnol Bioeng 2022; 119:1207-1221. [PMID: 35112714 PMCID: PMC9303603 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
HIV-1 virus-like particles (VLPs) are nanostructures derived from the self-assembly and cell budding of Gag polyprotein. Mimicking the native structure of the virus and being non-infectious, they represent promising candidates for the development of new vaccines as they elicit a strong immune response. In addition to this, the bounding membrane can be functionalized with exogenous antigens to target different diseases. Protein glycosylation depends strictly on the production platform and expression system used and the displayed glycosylation patterns may influence down-stream processing as well as the immune response. One of the main challenges for the development of Gag VLP production bioprocess is the separation of VLPs and coproduced extracellular vesicles (EVs). In this work, porous graphitized carbon separation method coupled with mass spectrometry was used to characterize the N- and O- glycosylation profiles of Gag VLPs produced in HEK293 cells. We identified differential glycan signatures between VLPs and EVs that could pave the way for further separation and purification strategies in order to optimize downstream processing and move forward in VLP-based vaccine production technology. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Lavado-García
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i Bioprocessos, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tao Zhang
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Cervera
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i Bioprocessos, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i Bioprocessos, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manfred Wuhrer
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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González-Domínguez I, Puente-Massaguer E, Lavado-García J, Cervera L, Gòdia F. Micrometric DNA/PEI polyplexes correlate with higher transient gene expression yields in HEK 293 cells. N Biotechnol 2022; 68:87-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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González-Domínguez I, Lorenzo E, Bernier A, Cervera L, Gòdia F, Kamen A. A Four-Step Purification Process for Gag VLPs: From Culture Supernatant to High-Purity Lyophilized Particles. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9101154. [PMID: 34696262 PMCID: PMC8539588 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9101154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Gag-based virus-like particles (VLPs) have high potential as scaffolds for the development of chimeric vaccines and delivery strategies. The production of purified preparations that can be preserved independently from cold chains is highly desirable to facilitate distribution and access worldwide. In this work, a nimble purification has been developed, facilitating the production of Gag VLPs. Suspension-adapted HEK 293 cells cultured in chemically defined cell culture media were used to produce the VLPs. A four-step downstream process (DSP) consisting of membrane filtration, ion-exchange chromatography, polishing, and lyophilization was developed. The purification of VLPs from other contaminants such as host cell proteins (HCP), double-stranded DNA, or extracellular vesicles (EVs) was confirmed after their DSP. A concentration of 2.2 ± 0.8 × 109 VLPs/mL in the lyophilized samples was obtained after its storage at room temperature for two months. Morphology and structural integrity of purified VLPs was assessed by cryo-TEM and NTA. Likewise, the purification methodologies proposed here could be easily scaled up and applied to purify similar enveloped viruses and vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene González-Domínguez
- Departament d’Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.); (L.C.); (F.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Elianet Lorenzo
- Departament d’Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.); (L.C.); (F.G.)
| | - Alice Bernier
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0E9, Canada; (A.B.); (A.K.)
| | - Laura Cervera
- Departament d’Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.); (L.C.); (F.G.)
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Departament d’Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.); (L.C.); (F.G.)
| | - Amine Kamen
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0E9, Canada; (A.B.); (A.K.)
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Lavado-García J, Jorge I, Boix-Besora A, Vázquez J, Gòdia F, Cervera L. Characterization of HIV-1 virus-like particles and determination of Gag stoichiometry for different production platforms. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:2660-2675. [PMID: 33844274 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The importance of developing new vaccine technologies towards versatile platforms that can cope with global virus outbreaks has been evidenced with the most recent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are a highly immunogenic, safe, and robust approach that can be used to base several vaccine candidates on. Particularly, HIV-1 Gag VLPs is a flexible system comprising a Gag core surrounded by a lipid bilayer that can be modified to present diverse types of membrane proteins or antigens against several diseases, like influenza, dengue, West Nile virus, or human papillomavirus, where it has been proven successful. The size distribution and structural characteristics of produced VLPs vary depending on the cell line used to produce them. In this study, we established an analytical method of characterization for the Gag protein core and clarified the current variability of Gag stoichiometry in HIV-1 VLPs depending on the cell-based production platform, directly determining the number of Gag molecules per VLP in each case. Three Gag peptides have been validated to quantify the number of monomers using parallel reaction monitoring, an accurate and fast, mass-spectrometry-based method that can be used to assess the quality of the produced Gag VLPs regardless of the cell line used. An average of 3617 ± 17 monomers per VLP was obtained for HEK293, substantially varying between platforms, including mammalian and insect cells. This offers a key advantage in quantification and quality control methods to characterize VLP production at a large scale to accelerate new recombinant vaccine production technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Lavado-García
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i Bioprocessos, Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Jorge
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Proteomics, Vascular Physiopathology area, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Arnau Boix-Besora
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i Bioprocessos, Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Vázquez
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Proteomics, Vascular Physiopathology area, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i Bioprocessos, Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Cervera
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i Bioprocessos, Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
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Fernandes B, Correia R, Sousa M, Carrondo MJT, Alves PM, Roldão A. Integrating high cell density cultures with adapted laboratory evolution for improved Gag-HA virus-like particles production in stable insect cell lines. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:2536-2547. [PMID: 33764532 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Stable insect cell lines are emerging as an alternative to the insect cell-baculovirus expression vector system (IC-BEVS) for protein expression, benefiting from being a virus-free, nonlytic system. Still, the titers achieved are considerably lower. In this study, stable insect (Sf-9 and High Five) cells producing Gag virus-like particles (VLPs) were first adapted to grow under hypothermic culture conditions (22°C instead of standard 27°C), and then pseudotyped with a model membrane protein (influenza hemagglutinin [HA]) for expression of Gag-HA VLPs. Adaptation to lower temperature led to an increase in protein titers of up to 12-fold for p24 (as proxy for Gag-VLP) and sixfold for HA, with adapted Sf-9 cells outperforming High Five cells. Resulting Gag-HA VLPs producer Sf-9 cells were cultured to high cell densities, that is, 100 × 106 cell/ml, using perfusion (ATF® 2) in 1 L stirred-tank bioreactors. Specific p24 and HA production rates were similar to those of batch culture, enabling to increase volumetric titers by 7-8-fold without compromising the assembly of Gag-HA VLPs. Importantly, the antigen (HA) quantity in VLPs generated using stable adapted cells in perfusion was ≈5-fold higher than that from IC-BEVS, with the added benefit of being a baculovirus-free system. This study demonstrates the potential of combining stable expression in insect cells adapted to hypothermic culture conditions with perfusion for improving Gag-HA VLPs production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Fernandes
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal.,ITQB NOVA, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Correia
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal.,ITQB NOVA, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Marcos Sousa
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal.,ITQB NOVA, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | - Paula M Alves
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal.,ITQB NOVA, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - António Roldão
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal.,ITQB NOVA, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
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Chimeric VLPs Based on HIV-1 Gag and a Fusion Rabies Glycoprotein Induce Specific Antibodies against Rabies and Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9030251. [PMID: 33809060 PMCID: PMC7999769 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9030251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Foot and mouth disease is a livestock acute disease, causing economic losses in affected areas. Currently, control of this disease is performed by mandatory vaccination campaigns using inactivated viral vaccines. In this work, we describe the development of a chimeric VLP-based vaccine candidate for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), based on the co-expression of the HIV-1 Gag protein and a novel fusion rabies glycoprotein (RVG), which carries in its N-term the FMDV main antigen: the G-H loop. It is demonstrated by confocal microscopy that both Gag-GFP polyprotein and the G-H loop colocalize at the cell membrane and, that the Gag polyprotein of the HIV virus acts as a scaffold for enveloped VLPs that during the budding process acquires the proteins that are being expressed in the cell membrane. The obtained VLPs were spherical particles of 130 ± 40 nm in diameter (analyzed by TEM, Cryo-TEM and NTA) carrying an envelope membrane that efficiently display the GH-RVG on its surface (analyzed by gold immunolabeling). Immunostainings with a FMDV hyperimmune serum showed that the heterologous antigenic site, genetically fused to RVG, is recognized by specific G-H loop antibodies. Additionally, the cVLPs produced expose the G-H loop to the liquid surrounding (analyzed by specific ELISA). Finally, we confirmed that these FMD cVLPs are able to induce a specific humoral immune response, based on antibodies directed to the G-H loop in experimental animals.
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Lavado-García J, Díaz-Maneh A, Canal-Paulí N, Pérez-Rubio P, Gòdia F, Cervera L. Metabolic engineering of HEK293 cells to improve transient transfection and cell budding of HIV-1 virus-like particles. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:1649-1663. [PMID: 33463716 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
HIV-1 Gag virus-like particles (VLPs) are promising candidates for the development of future vaccines. Recent viral outbreaks have manifested the need of robust vaccine production platforms able to adapt to new challenges while achieving mass production capacity. For the rapid production of VLPs, the method of transient gene expression (TGE) have proved highly efficient. Based on a previous characterization of the HEK293 cell line upon transient transfection using multiplexed quantitative proteomics, molecular production bottlenecks and metabolic pathways likely to be optimized were identified. In this study, these molecular components and metabolic pathways have been explored and modulated via transient metabolic engineering using approaches like design of experiments to fully exploit and optimize VLP production, transfection and budding efficiency. Upon overexpression of endosomal sorting complex required for transport accessory proteins like NEDD4L and CIT, VLP production increased 3.3 and 2.9-fold, respectively. Overexpression of glycosphingolipid precursor enzyme UGCG improved transfection efficiency by 17% and knocking-down the Gag-binding protein CNP improved 2.5-fold VLP specific productivity. Combining CNP inhibition and UGCG overexpression further improved budding efficiency by 37.3%. Modulating VLP production and accessory pathways like intracellular budding, demonstrated the potential of metabolic engineering to optimize and intensify the development of robust production platforms for future vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Lavado-García
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocessos, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andy Díaz-Maneh
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocessos, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Canal-Paulí
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocessos, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pol Pérez-Rubio
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocessos, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocessos, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Cervera
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocessos, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Lavado-García J, González-Domínguez I, Cervera L, Jorge I, Vázquez J, Gòdia F. Molecular Characterization of the Coproduced Extracellular Vesicles in HEK293 during Virus-Like Particle Production. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:4516-4532. [PMID: 32975947 PMCID: PMC7640977 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Vaccine therapies based on virus-like particles (VLPs) are currently in the spotlight due to their potential for generating high immunogenic responses while presenting fewer side effects than conventional vaccines. These self-assembled nanostructures resemble the native conformation of the virus but lack genetic material. They are becoming a promising platform for vaccine candidates against several diseases due to the ability of modifying their membrane with antigens from different viruses. The coproduction of extracellular vesicles (EVs) when producing VLPs is a key phenomenon currently still under study. In order to characterize this extracellular environment, a quantitative proteomics approach has been carried out. Three conditions were studied: non-transfected, transfected with an empty plasmid as control, and transfected with a plasmid coding for HIV-1 Gag polyprotein. A shift in EV biogenesis has been detected upon transfection, changing the production from large to small EVs. Another remarkable trait found was the presence of DNA being secreted within vesicles smaller than 200 nm. Studying the protein profile of these biological nanocarriers, it was observed that EVs were reflecting an overall energy homeostasis disruption via mitochondrial protein deregulation. Also, immunomodulatory proteins like ITGB1, ENO3, and PRDX5 were identified and quantified in VLP and EV fractions. These findings provide insight on the nature of the VLP extracellular environment defining the characteristics and protein profile of EVs, with potential to develop new downstream separation strategies or using them as adjuvants in viral therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Lavado-García
- Grup
d’Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d’Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola
del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irene González-Domínguez
- Grup
d’Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d’Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola
del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Cervera
- Grup
d’Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d’Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola
del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Jorge
- Laboratory
of Cardiovascular Proteomics, Centro Nacional
Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), C/Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid 28029, Spain
- Centro
de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Cardiovasculares
(CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Vázquez
- Laboratory
of Cardiovascular Proteomics, Centro Nacional
Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), C/Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid 28029, Spain
- Centro
de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Cardiovasculares
(CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Grup
d’Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d’Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola
del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
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13
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Development of a non-viral platform for rapid virus-like particle production in Sf9 cells. J Biotechnol 2020; 322:43-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2020.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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14
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PEI-Mediated Transient Transfection of High Five Cells at Bioreactor Scale for HIV-1 VLP Production. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10081580. [PMID: 32806511 PMCID: PMC7466501 DOI: 10.3390/nano10081580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
High Five cells are an excellent host for the production of virus-like particles (VLPs) with the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS). However, the concurrent production of high titers of baculovirus hinder the purification of these nanoparticles due to similarities in their physicochemical properties. In this study, first a transient gene expression (TGE) method based on the transfection reagent polyethylenimine (PEI) is optimized for the production of HIV-1 VLPs at shake flask level. Furthermore, VLP production by TGE in High Five cells is successfully demonstrated at bioreactor scale, resulting in a higher maximum viable cell concentration (5.1 × 106 cell/mL), the same transfection efficiency and a 1.8-fold increase in Gag-eGFP VLP production compared to shake flasks. Metabolism analysis of High Five cells indicates a reduction in the consumption of the main metabolites with respect to non-transfected cell cultures, and an increase in the uptake rate of several amino acids when asparagine is depleted. Quality assessment by nanoparticle tracking analysis and flow virometry of the VLPs produced shows an average size of 100–200 nm, in agreement with immature HIV-1 viruses reported in the literature. Overall, this work demonstrates that the High Five/TGE system is a suitable approach for the production of VLP-based vaccine candidates and other recombinant proteins.
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15
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Lavado-García J, Cervera L, Gòdia F. An Alternative Perfusion Approach for the Intensification of Virus-Like Particle Production in HEK293 Cultures. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:617. [PMID: 32637402 PMCID: PMC7318772 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) have gained interest over the last years as recombinant vaccine formats, as they generate a strong immune response and present storage and distribution advantages compared to conventional vaccines. Therefore, VLPs are being regarded as potential vaccine candidates for several diseases. One requirement for their further clinical testing is the development of scalable processes and production platforms for cell-based viral particles. In this work, the extended gene expression (EGE) method, which consists in consecutive media replacements combined with cell retransfections, was successfully optimized and transferred to a bioreactor operating in perfusion. A process optimization using design of experiments (DoE) was carried out to obtain optimal values for the time of retransfection, the cell specific perfusion rate (CSPR) and transfected DNA concentration, improving 86.7% the previously reported EGE protocol in HEK293. Moreover, it was successfully implemented at 1.5L bioreactor using an ATF as cell retention system achieving concentrations of 6.8·1010 VLP/mL. VLP interaction with the ATF hollow fibers was studied via confocal microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and nanoparticle tracking analysis to design a bioprocess capable of separating unassembled Gag monomers and concentrate VLPs in one step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Lavado-García
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Cervera
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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16
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González-Domínguez I, Puente-Massaguer E, Cervera L, Gòdia F. Quantification of the HIV-1 virus-like particle production process by super-resolution imaging: From VLP budding to nanoparticle analysis. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:1929-1945. [PMID: 32242921 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) offer great promise in the field of nanomedicine. Enveloped VLPs are a class of these nanoparticles and their production process occurs by a budding process, which is known to be the most critical step at intracellular level. In this study, we developed a novel imaging method based on super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) to assess the generation of VLPs in living cells. This methodology was applied to study the production of Gag VLPs in three animal cell platforms of reference: HEK 293-transient gene expression (TGE), High Five-baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) and Sf9-BEVS. Quantification of the number of VLP assembly sites per cell ranged from 500 to 3,000 in the different systems evaluated. Although the BEVS was superior in terms of Gag polyprotein expression, the HEK 293-TGE platform was more efficient regarding the assembly of Gag as VLPs. This was translated into higher levels of non-assembled Gag monomer in BEVS harvested supernatants. Furthermore, the presence of contaminating nanoparticles was evidenced in all three systems, specifically in High Five cells. The SRFM-based method here developed was also successfully applied to measure the concentration of VLPs in crude supernatants. The lipid membrane of VLPs and the presence of nucleic acids alongside these nanoparticles could also be detected using common staining procedures. Overall, a complete picture of the VLP production process was achieved in these three production platforms. The robustness and sensitivity of this new approach broaden the applicability of SRFM toward the development of new detection, diagnosis and quantification methods based on confocal microscopy in living systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene González-Domínguez
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Eduard Puente-Massaguer
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Laura Cervera
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
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17
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González-Domínguez I, Puente-Massaguer E, Cervera L, Gòdia F. Quality Assessment of Virus-Like Particles at Single Particle Level: A Comparative Study. Viruses 2020; 12:E223. [PMID: 32079288 PMCID: PMC7077327 DOI: 10.3390/v12020223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) have emerged as a powerful scaffold for antigen presentation and delivery strategies. Compared to single protein-based therapeutics, quality assessment requires a higher degree of refinement due to the structure of VLPs and their similar properties to extracellular vesicles (EVs). Advances in the field of nanotechnology with single particle and high-resolution analysis techniques provide appealing approaches to VLP characterization. In this study, six different biophysical methods have been assessed for the characterization of HIV-1-based VLPs produced in mammalian and insect cell platforms. Sample preparation and equipment set-up were optimized for the six strategies evaluated. Electron Microscopy (EM) disclosed the presence of several types of EVs within VLP preparations and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) resulted in the best technique to resolve the VLP ultrastructure. The use of super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and flow virometry enabled the high throughput quantification of VLPs. Interestingly, differences in the determination of nanoparticle concentration were observed between techniques. Moreover, NTA and flow virometry allowed the quantification of both EVs and VLPs within the same experiment while analyzing particle size distribution (PSD), simultaneously. These results provide new insights into the use of different analytical tools to monitor the production of nanoparticle-based biologicals and their associated contaminants.
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18
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Puente-Massaguer E, Lecina M, Gòdia F. Integrating nanoparticle quantification and statistical design of experiments for efficient HIV-1 virus-like particle production in High Five cells. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:1569-1582. [PMID: 31907573 PMCID: PMC7224031 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-10319-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The nature of enveloped virus-like particles (VLPs) has triggered high interest in their application to different research fields, including vaccine development. The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) has been used as an efficient platform for obtaining large amounts of these complex nanoparticles. To date, most of the studies dealing with VLP production by recombinant baculovirus infection utilize indirect detection or quantification techniques that hinder the appropriate characterization of the process and product. Here, we propose the application of cutting-edge quantification methodologies in combination with advanced statistical designs to exploit the full potential of the High Five/BEVS as a platform to produce HIV-1 Gag VLPs. The synergies between CCI, MOI, and TOH were studied using a response surface methodology approach on four different response functions: baculovirus infection, VLP production, VLP assembly, and VLP productivity. TOH and MOI proved to be the major influencing factors in contrast with previous reported data. Interestingly, a remarkable competition between Gag VLP production and non-assembled Gag was detected. Also, the use of nanoparticle tracking analysis and flow virometry revealed the existence of remarkable quantities of extracellular vesicles. The different responses of the study were combined to determine two global optimum conditions, one aiming to maximize the VLP titer (quantity) and the second aiming to find a compromise between VLP yield and the ratio of assembled VLPs (quality). This study provides a valuable approach to optimize VLP production and demonstrates that the High Five/BEVS can support mass production of Gag VLPs and potentially other complex nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduard Puente-Massaguer
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Martí Lecina
- IQS School of Engineering, Universitat Ramón Llull, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
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19
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Lavado-García J, Jorge I, Cervera L, Vázquez J, Gòdia F. Multiplexed Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of HEK293 Provides Insights into Molecular Changes Associated with the Cell Density Effect, Transient Transfection, and Virus-Like Particle Production. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:1085-1099. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.9b00601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Lavado-García
- Grup d’Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental, Escola d’Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Jorge
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Proteomics, Centro Nacional Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), C/Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid 28029, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Laura Cervera
- Grup d’Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental, Escola d’Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Vázquez
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Proteomics, Centro Nacional Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), C/Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid 28029, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Grup d’Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental, Escola d’Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
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20
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Pereira Aguilar P, Schneider TA, Wetter V, Maresch D, Ling WL, Tover A, Steppert P, Jungbauer A. Polymer-grafted chromatography media for the purification of enveloped virus-like particles, exemplified with HIV-1 gag VLP. Vaccine 2019; 37:7070-7080. [PMID: 31300289 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Polymer-grafted chromatography media, especially ion exchangers, are high performance materials for protein purification. However, due to the pore size limitation, conventional chromatography beads are usually not considered for the downstream processing of large biomolecules such as virus-like particles (VLPs). Contrariwise, since the outer surface of the chromatography beads provides satisfactory binding capacity for VLPs and impurities of smaller size can bind inside of the beads, conventional porous beads should be considered for VLP capture and purification. We used HIV-1 gag VLPs with a diameter of 100-200 nm as a model to demonstrate that polymer-grafted anion exchangers are suitable for the purification of bionanoparticles. The equilibrium binding capacity was 1 × 1013 part/mL resin. Moderate salt concentration up to 100 mM NaCl did not affect binding, allowing direct loading of cell culture supernatant onto the column for purification. Dynamic binding capacity at 10% breakthrough, when loading cell culture supernatant, was approximately 6 × 1011 part/mL column; only 1-log lower than for monoliths. Endonuclease treatment of the cell culture supernatant did not increase the dynamic binding capacity, suggesting that dsDNA does not compete for the binding sites of VLPs. Nevertheless, due to simultaneous elution of particles and dsDNA, endonuclease treatment is required to reduce dsDNA contamination in the product. Proteomic analysis revealed that HIV-1 gag VLPs contain different host cell proteins in their cargo. This cargo is composed of conserved proteins and other proteins that vary from one particle population to another, as well as from batch to batch. This process allowed the separation of different particle populations. HIV-1 gag VLPs were directly captured and purified from cell culture supernatant with a total particle recovery in the elution of about 35%. Columns packed with beads can be scaled to practically any dimension and therefore a tailored design of the process is possible.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Viktoria Wetter
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Maresch
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria
| | - Wai Li Ling
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, IBS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Petra Steppert
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria
| | - Alois Jungbauer
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria; Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria.
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21
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Pereira Aguilar P, González-Domínguez I, Schneider TA, Gòdia F, Cervera L, Jungbauer A. At-line multi-angle light scattering detector for faster process development in enveloped virus-like particle purification. J Sep Sci 2019; 42:2640-2649. [PMID: 31169979 PMCID: PMC6771681 DOI: 10.1002/jssc.201900441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
At‐line static light scattering and fluorescence monitoring allows direct in‐process tracking of fluorescent virus‐like particles. We have demonstrated this by coupling at‐line multi‐angle light scattering and fluorescence detectors to the downstream processing of enveloped virus‐like particles. Since light scattering intensity is directly proportional to particle concentration, our strategy allowed a swift identification of product containing fractions and rapid process development. Virus‐like particles containing the Human Immunodeficiency Virus‐1 Gag protein fused to the Green Fluorescence protein were produced in Human Embryonic Kidney 293 cells by transient transfection. A single‐column anion‐exchange chromatography method was used for direct capture and purification. The majority of host‐cell protein impurities passed through the column without binding. Virus‐like particles bound to the column were eluted by linear or step salt gradients. Particles recovered in the step gradient purification were characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis, size exclusion chromatography coupled to multi‐angle light scattering and fluorescence detectors and transmission electron microscopy. A total recovery of 66% for the fluorescent particles was obtained with a 50% yield in the main product peak. Virus‐like particles were concentrated 17‐fold to final a concentration of 4.45 × 1010 particles/mL. Simple buffers and operation make this process suitable for large scale purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irene González-Domínguez
- Department d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Francesc Gòdia
- Department d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Cervera
- Department d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alois Jungbauer
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.,Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria
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22
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González-Domínguez I, Grimaldi N, Cervera L, Ventosa N, Gòdia F. Impact of physicochemical properties of DNA/PEI complexes on transient transfection of mammalian cells. N Biotechnol 2019; 49:88-97. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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23
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González-Domínguez I, Cervera L, Gòdia F, Roldán M. Quantitative colocalization analysis of DNA delivery by PEI-mediated cationic polymers in mammalian cells. J Microsc 2018; 273:53-64. [PMID: 30295315 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.12760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 08/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Although cationic polymers are widely used for DNA delivery, the relationship between the properties of the formed complexes and their biological activity is not fully understood. Here, we propose a novel procedure consisting of superresolved images coupled with quantitative colocalization to analyse DNA release in living cells. This work compares the different workflows available in a quantitative colocalization study of DNA delivery using polyethylenimine as transfection reagent. A nimble workflow with deconvolution in three-dimensional images was developed. Among the different colocalization coefficients, Manders' colocalization coefficient was the best to track the complexes. Results showed that DNA/polyethylenimine complexes were tightly interacting at the time of transfection and their disassembly was observed between 2 and 10 h after their uptake. Heterogenicity was found in the intracellular fate of each complex. At 24 h, some complexes were still present underneath the nuclear envelope. Overall, this study opens the door for particle tracking assessment with three-dimensional imaging at intracellular level. LAY DESCRIPTION: DNA delivery technologies in living cells are of high relevance in the biotechnology field. The transient expression of a gene of interest enables the production of a wide range of new therapeutic candidates for clinical purposes. However, the introduction of an exogenous DNA construct into a cell culture requires the use of certain vehicles that protect the DNA from host cell DNases and deliver it into the cell nucleus. From the different systems available, polyethylenimine (PEI) has been extensively used in transient gene expression strategies for the last three decades. However, the intracellular fate of the formed DNA/PEI complexes and the DNA release from the complexes is still poorly understood. In this work, we propose the application of combined superresolved images through mathematical deconvolution to colocalization studies of DNA/PEI complexes evolution in living mammalian cell cultures. Both specimens were covalently labelled with Cy3 and Cy5 dye, respectively, and the kinetics of its disassembly process within the cells was tracked over the time. Because of the specific features of the formed-complexes, a comparative study of the different colocalization coefficients was performed towards optimizing the analysis of these particles with confocal microscopy. Besides, the 3D imaging of the process allowed the direct visualization of a partial DNA/PEI complexes disassembly and the location of those complexes underneath the nuclear envelope during the cell production phase (24 h after the uptake).
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Affiliation(s)
- I González-Domínguez
- Department d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - L Cervera
- Department d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Gòdia
- Department d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Roldán
- Unitat de Microscòpia Confocal, Servei d'Anatomia Patològica, Institut Pediàtric de Malalties Rares. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
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24
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Fuenmayor J, Cervera L, Rigau C, Gòdia F. Enhancement of HIV-1 VLP production using gene inhibition strategies. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 102:4477-4487. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-8930-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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25
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Cervera L, Kamen AA. Large-Scale Transient Transfection of Suspension Mammalian Cells for VLP Production. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1674:117-127. [PMID: 28921433 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7312-5_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale transient transfection of mammalian cell suspension cultures enables the production of biological products in sufficient quantity and under stringent quality attributes to perform accelerated in vitro evaluations and has the potential to support preclinical or even clinical studies. Here we describe the methodology to produce VLPs in a 3L bioreactor, using suspension HEK 293 cells and PEIPro as a transfection reagent. Cells are grown in the bioreactor to 1 × 106 cells/mL and transfected with a plasmid DNA-PEI complex at a ratio of 1:2. Dissolved oxygen and pH are controlled and are online monitored during the production phase and cell growth and viability can be measured off line taking samples from the bioreactor. If the product is labeled with a fluorescent marker, transfection efficiency can be also assessed using flow cytometry analysis. Typically, the production phase lasts between 48 and 96 h until the product is harvested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cervera
- Bioengineering Department, McGill University, 817 Sherbrooke Street West, Room 270D, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A 0C3
| | - Amine A Kamen
- Bioengineering Department, McGill University, 817 Sherbrooke Street West, Room 270D, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A 0C3.
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26
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Production of HIV virus-like particles by transient transfection of CAP-T cells at bioreactor scale avoiding medium replacement. J Biotechnol 2017; 263:11-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2017.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Vidigal J, Fernandes B, Dias MM, Patrone M, Roldão A, Carrondo MJT, Alves PM, Teixeira AP. RMCE-based insect cell platform to produce membrane proteins captured on HIV-1 Gag virus-like particles. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 102:655-666. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8628-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Fuenmayor J, Cervera L, Gutiérrez-Granados S, Gòdia F. Transient gene expression optimization and expression vector comparison to improve HIV-1 VLP production in HEK293 cell lines. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 102:165-174. [PMID: 29103166 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8605-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Transient gene expression (TGE) has been used at small and medium scale for the production of biologicals in sufficient quantities to perform pre-clinical and characterization studies. Polyethyleneimine (PEI)-mediated transfection offers a low toxicity and non-expensive method for cell transfection. DNA and PEI concentration for transient gene expression has been extensively optimized in order to increase product titers. However, the possibility to extrapolate the optimal concentrations found for a specific bioprocess when expression vectors or cell lines need to be changed has not been investigated.In this work, the combination of three different HEK293 cell lines with three different vectors was studied for the production of HIV-1 virus-like particles (VLPs). The concentration of DNA and PEI was optimized for the nine combinations. The obtained results were very similar in all cases (DNA = 2.34 ± 0.18 μg/mL and PEI = 5.81 ± 0.18 μg/mL), revealing that transfection efficiency is not dependent on the cell line or vector type, but on DNA and PEI quantities. Furthermore, two of the cell lines tested stably expressed a protein able to recognize specific origins of replication: HEK293T/SV40 and HEK293E/oriP. Origins of replication were included in the vector sequences in order to test their capacity to increase production titers. HEK293T/SV40 resulted in a decrease of cell density and productivity of 2.3-fold compared to a control plasmid. On the other hand, HEK293E/OriP platform enabled a threefold improvement in HIV-1 VLP production keeping the same cell densities and viabilities compared to a control plasmid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Fuenmayor
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Laura Cervera
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sonia Gutiérrez-Granados
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cel·lular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
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Cervera L, González-Domínguez I, Segura MM, Gòdia F. Intracellular characterization of Gag VLP production by transient transfection of HEK 293 cells. Biotechnol Bioeng 2017; 114:2507-2517. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.26367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cervera
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Campus de Bellaterra; Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193 Barcelona Spain
| | - Irene González-Domínguez
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Campus de Bellaterra; Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193 Barcelona Spain
| | - María Mercedes Segura
- Bluebird Bio Inc., Pharmaceutical Sciences; Vector Process Development Manufacturing Group; Cambridge Massachusetts
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Campus de Bellaterra; Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193 Barcelona Spain
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Identification of HIV-1-Based Virus-like Particles by Multifrequency Atomic Force Microscopy. Biophys J 2017; 111:1173-1179. [PMID: 27653476 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.07.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) have become a promising platform for vaccine production. VLPs are formed by structural viral proteins that inherently self-assemble when expressed in a host cell. They represent a highly immunogenic and safe vaccine platform, due to the absence of the viral genome and its high protein density. One of the most important parameters in vaccine production is the quality of the product. A related bottleneck in VLP-based products is the presence of cellular vesicles as a major contaminant in the preparations, which will require the set up of techniques allowing for specific discrimination of VLPs from host vesicular bodies. In this work novel, to our knowledge, multifrequency (MF) atomic force microscopy (AFM) has permitted full structural nanophysical characterization by its access to the virus capsid of the HIV-based VLPs. The assessment of these particles by advanced amplitude modulation-frequency modulation (AM-FM) viscoelastic mapping mode has enhanced the imaging resolution of their nanomechanical properties, opening a new window for the study of the biophysical attributes of VLPs. Finally, the identification and differentiation of HIV-based VLPs from cellular vesicles has been performed under ambient conditions, providing, to our knowledge, novel methodology for the monitoring and quality control of VLPs.
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Steppert P, Burgstaller D, Klausberger M, Tover A, Berger E, Jungbauer A. Quantification and characterization of virus-like particles by size-exclusion chromatography and nanoparticle tracking analysis. J Chromatogr A 2017; 1487:89-99. [PMID: 28110946 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2016.12.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The rapid quantification of enveloped virus-like particles (VLPs) requires orthogonal methods to obtain reliable results. Three methods-nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), size-exclusion HPLC (SE-HPLC) with UV detection, and detection with multi-angle light scattering (MALS)-for quantification of enveloped VLPs have been compared, and the lower and upper limits of detection and quantification have been evaluated. NTA directly counts the enveloped VLPs, and a particle number is obtained with a lower limit of detection (LLOD) of 1.7×107part/mL and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 3.4×108part/mL. SE-HPLC with UV detection was calibrated with standards characterized by NTA, and a LLOD of 6.9×109part/mL and LLOQ of 2.1×1010part/mL were found. SE-HPLC with MALS does not require a pre-calibrated sample because with a spherical model based on the Rayleigh-Gans-Debye approximation, the particle concentration can be directly deduced from the scattered light. A LLOD of 4.8×108part/mL and LLOQ of 2.1×109part/mL were measured and substantially lower compared to the UV method. The absolute particle concentration measured by SE-HPLC-MALS is one order of magnitude lower compared to measurement by NTA, which is explained by the wide size distribution of an enveloped VLP suspension. The model used for evaluation of light scattering data assumes monodisperse, homogeneous, and spherical particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Steppert
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Burgstaller
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Miriam Klausberger
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Alois Jungbauer
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria; ACIB GmbH, Vienna, Austria.
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A non-cleavable hexahistidine affinity tag at the carboxyl-terminus of the HIV-1 Pr55 Gag polyprotein alters nucleic acid binding properties. Protein Expr Purif 2016; 130:137-145. [PMID: 27721079 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2016.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
HIV Gag (Pr55Gag), a multidomain polyprotein that orchestrates the assembly and release of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is an active target of antiretroviral inhibitor development. However, highly pure, stable, recombinant Pr55Gag has been difficult to produce in quantities sufficient for biophysical studies due to its susceptibility to proteolysis by cellular proteases during purification. Stability has been improved by using a construct that omits the p6 domain (Δp6). In vivo, p6 is crucial to the budding process and interacts with protein complexes in the ESCRT (Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport) pathway, it has been difficult to study its role in the context of Gag using in vitro approaches. Here we report the generation of a full length Gag construct containing a tobacco etch virus (TEV)-cleavable C-terminal hexahistidine tag, allowing a detailed comparison of its nucleic acid binding properties with other constructs, including untagged, Δp6, and C-terminally tagged (TEV-cleavable and non-cleavable) Gags, respectively. We have developed a standard expression and purification protocol that minimizes nucleic acid contamination and produces milligram quantities of full length Gag for in vitro studies and compound screening purposes. We found that the presence of a carboxyl-terminal hexahistidine tag changes the nucleic binding properties compared to the proteins that did not contain the tag (full length protein that was either untagged or reulted from removal of the tag during purification). The HIV Gag expression and purification protocol described herein provides a facile method of obtaining large quantities of high quality protein for investigators who wish to study the full length protein or the effect of the p6 domain on the biophysical properties of Gag.
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Dick LW, Mehl JT, Loughney JW, Mach A, Rustandi RR, Ha S, Zhang L, Przysiecki CT, Dieter L, Hoang VM. Label-free quantitative mass spectrometry for analysis of protein antigens in a meningococcal group B outer membrane vesicle vaccine. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2016; 11:1518-25. [PMID: 25997113 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2015.1016678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of a multivalent outer membrane vesicle (OMV) vaccine where each strain contributes multiple key protein antigens presents numerous analytical challenges. One major difficulty is the ability to accurately and specifically quantitate each antigen, especially during early development and process optimization when immunoreagents are limited or unavailable. To overcome this problem, quantitative mass spectrometry methods can be used. In place of traditional mass assays such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), quantitative LC-MS/MS using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) can be used during early-phase process development to measure key protein components in complex vaccines in the absence of specific immunoreagents. Multiplexed, label-free quantitative mass spectrometry methods using protein extraction by either detergent or 2-phase solvent were developed to quantitate levels of several meningococcal serogroup B protein antigens in an OMV vaccine candidate. Precision was demonstrated to be less than 15% RSD for the 2-phase extraction and less than 10% RSD for the detergent extraction method. Accuracy was 70 to 130% for the method using a 2-phase extraction and 90-110% for detergent extraction. The viability of MS-based protein quantification as a vaccine characterization method was demonstrated and advantages over traditional quantitative methods were evaluated. Implementation of these MS-based quantification methods can help to decrease the development time for complex vaccines and can provide orthogonal confirmation of results from existing antigen quantification techniques.
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Key Words
- BCA, bicinchoninic acid
- ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
- HPLC –high performance liquid chromatography
- LC-MS/MS, liquid chromatography, tandem mass spectrometry
- MRM, multiple reaction monitoring
- MS, mass spectrometry
- MenB, Meningococcal serogroup B
- NadA, Neisseria adhesin A
- OMPC, outer membrane protein complex
- OMV, outer membrane vesicle
- PorA, major outer membrane protein (class I outer membrane protein)
- QC, quality control
- RSD, relative standard deviation
- SDS-PAGE, sodium dodecyl sulfate, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
- WRAIR, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
- fHbp, factor H binding protein
- mass spectrometry
- membrane proteins
- meningococcal group B
- multiple reaction monitoring
- outer membrane vesicle
- protein quantification
- vaccine
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence W Dick
- a Vaccine Bioprocess Research and Development; Merck Research Labs; Merck & Co., Inc. ; Whitehouse Station , NJ , USA
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Optimized production of HIV-1 virus-like particles by transient transfection in CAP-T cells. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 100:3935-47. [PMID: 26685677 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-7213-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Revised: 11/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
HIV-1 virus-like particles (VLPs) have great potential as new-generation vaccines. The novel CAP-T cell line is used for the first time to produce Gag-GFP HIV-1 VLPs by means of polyethylenimine (PEI)-mediated transient transfection. CAP-T cells are adapted to grow to high cell densities in serum-free medium, and are able to express complex recombinant proteins with human post-translational modifications. Furthermore, this cell line is easily transfected with PEI, which offers the flexibility to rapidly generate and screen a number of candidates in preclinical studies. Transient transfection optimization of CAP-T cells has been performed systematically in this work. It is determined that for optimal production, cells need to be growing at mid-exponential phase, Protein Expression Medium (PEM) medium has to be added post-transfection, and cells can be transfected by independent addition of DNA and PEI with no prior complexation. A Box-Behnken experimental design is used to optimize cell density at time of transfection, DNA/cell and PEI/cell ratios. The optimal conditions determined are transfection at a density of 3.3E + 06 cells/mL with 0.5 pg of DNA/cell and 3 pg of PEI/cell. Using the optimized protocol, 6 × 10(10) VLP/mL are obtained, demonstrating that CAP-T is a highly efficient cell line for the production of HIV-1 VLPs and potentially other complex viral-based biotherapeutics.
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Cervera L, Fuenmayor J, González-Domínguez I, Gutiérrez-Granados S, Segura MM, Gòdia F. Selection and optimization of transfection enhancer additives for increased virus-like particle production in HEK293 suspension cell cultures. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 99:9935-49. [PMID: 26278533 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6842-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals in mammalian cells typically relies on the use of stable producer cell lines. However, in recent years, transient gene expression has emerged as a suitable technology for rapid production of biopharmaceuticals. Transient gene expression is particularly well suited for early developmental phases, where several potential therapeutic targets need to be produced and tested in vivo. As a relatively new bioprocessing modality, a number of opportunities exist for improving cell culture productivity upon transient transfection. For instance, several compounds have shown positive effects on transient gene expression. These transfection enhancers either facilitate entry of PEI/DNA transfection complexes into the cell or nucleus or increase levels of gene expression. In this work, the potential of combining transfection enhancers to increase Gag-based virus-like particle production levels upon transfection of suspension-growing HEK 293 cells is evaluated. Using Plackett-Burman design of experiments, it is first tested the effect of eight transfection enhancers: trichostatin A, valproic acid, sodium butyrate, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), lithium acetate, caffeine, hydroxyurea, and nocodazole. An optimal combination of compounds exhibiting the highest effect on gene expression levels was subsequently identified using a surface response experimental design. The optimal consisted on the addition of 20 mM lithium acetate, 3.36 mM valproic acid, and 5.04 mM caffeine which increased VLP production levels 3.8-fold, while maintaining cell culture viability at 94%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cervera
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Javier Fuenmayor
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irene González-Domínguez
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sonia Gutiérrez-Granados
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Mercedes Segura
- Bluebird Bio Pharmaceutical Sciences, Process Development Group, 150 2nd Street, Cambridge, MA, 02141, USA
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Bioprocés, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
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Friedel T, Hanisch LJ, Muth A, Honegger A, Abken H, Plückthun A, Buchholz CJ, Schneider IC. Receptor-targeted lentiviral vectors are exceptionally sensitive toward the biophysical properties of the displayed single-chain Fv. Protein Eng Des Sel 2015; 28:93-106. [PMID: 25715658 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzv005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of applications require the expression of single-chain variable fragments (scFv) fusion proteins in mammalian cells at the cell surface membrane. Here we assessed the CD30-specific scFv HRS3, which is used in immunotherapy, for its ability to retarget lentiviral vectors (LVs) to CD30 and to mediate selective gene transfer into CD30-positive cells. Fused to the C-terminus of the type-II transmembrane protein hemagglutinin (H) of measles virus and expressed in LV packaging cells, gene transfer mediated by the released LV particles was inefficient. A series of point mutations in the scFv framework regions addressing its biophysical properties, which substantially improved production and increased the melting temperature without impairing its kinetic binding behavior to CD30, also improved the performance of LV particles. Gene transfer into CD30-positive cells increased ∼100-fold due to improved transport of the H-scFv protein to the plasma membrane. Concomitantly, LV particle aggregation and syncytia formation in packaging cells were substantially reduced. The data suggest that syncytia formation can be triggered by trans-cellular dimerization of H-scFv proteins displayed on adjacent cells. Taken together, we show that the biophysical properties of the targeting ligand have a decisive role for the gene transfer efficiency of receptor-targeted LVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten Friedel
- Section of Molecular Biotechnology and Gene Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, Langen 63225, Germany
| | - Lydia J Hanisch
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Protein Engineering Group, Roche Innovation Center Zürich, Schlieren 8952, Switzerland
| | - Anke Muth
- Section of Molecular Biotechnology and Gene Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, Langen 63225, Germany
| | - Annemarie Honegger
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, Zürich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Hinrich Abken
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne 50931, Germany Department I of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne 50931, Germany
| | - Andreas Plückthun
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, Zürich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Christian J Buchholz
- Section of Molecular Biotechnology and Gene Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, Langen 63225, Germany
| | - Irene C Schneider
- Section of Molecular Biotechnology and Gene Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, Langen 63225, Germany
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Cervera L, Gutiérrez-Granados S, Berrow NS, Segura MM, Gòdia F. Extended gene expression by medium exchange and repeated transient transfection for recombinant protein production enhancement. Biotechnol Bioeng 2015; 112:934-46. [PMID: 25421734 DOI: 10.1002/bit.25503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Revised: 11/11/2014] [Accepted: 11/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Production of recombinant products in mammalian cell cultures can be achieved by stable gene expression (SGE) or transient gene expression (TGE). The former is based on the integration of a plasmid DNA into the host cell genome allowing continuous gene expression. The latter is based on episomal plasmid DNA expression. Conventional TGE is limited to a short production period of usually about 96 h, therefore limiting productivity. A novel gene expression approach termed extended gene expression (EGE) is explored in this study. The aim of EGE is to prolong the production period by the combination of medium exchange and repeated transfection of cell cultures with plasmid DNA to improve overall protein production. The benefit of this methodology was evaluated for the production of three model recombinant products: intracellular GFP, secreted GFP, and a Gag-GFP virus-like particles (VLPs). Productions were carried out in HEK 293 cell suspension cultures grown in animal-derived component free media using polyethylenimine (PEI) as transfection reagent. Transfections were repeated throughout the production process using different plasmid DNA concentrations, intervals of time, and culture feeding conditions in order to identify the best approach to achieve sustained high-level gene expression. Using this novel EGE strategy, the production period was prolonged between 192 and 240 h with a 4-12-fold increase in production levels, depending on the product type considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cervera
- Grup d'Enginyeria Cellular i Tissular, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
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Heider S, Metzner C. Quantitative real-time single particle analysis of virions. Virology 2014; 462-463:199-206. [PMID: 24999044 PMCID: PMC4139191 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2014.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Revised: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 06/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Providing information about single virus particles has for a long time been mainly the domain of electron microscopy. More recently, technologies have been developed—or adapted from other fields, such as nanotechnology—to allow for the real-time quantification of physical virion particles, while supplying additional information such as particle diameter concomitantly. These technologies have progressed to the stage of commercialization increasing the speed of viral titer measurements from hours to minutes, thus providing a significant advantage for many aspects of virology research and biotechnology applications. Additional advantages lie in the broad spectrum of virus species that may be measured and the possibility to determine the ratio of infectious to total particles. A series of disadvantages remain associated with these technologies, such as a low specificity for viral particles. In this review we will discuss these technologies by comparing four systems for real-time single virus particle analysis and quantification. We introduce four methods for virus particle-based quantification of viruses. They allow for quantification of a wide range of samples in under an hour time. The additional measurement of size and zeta potential is possible for some.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Heider
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Building AC, 3rd Floor, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Metzner
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Building AC, 3rd Floor, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
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Gutiérrez-Granados S, Cervera L, Gòdia F, Segura MM. Characterization and quantitation of fluorescent Gag virus-like particles. BMC Proc 2013. [PMCID: PMC3980646 DOI: 10.1186/1753-6561-7-s6-p62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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40
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Cervera L, Gutiérrez-Granados S, Martínez M, Blanco J, Gòdia F, Segura MM. Generation of HIV-1 Gag VLPs by transient transfection of HEK 293 suspension cell cultures using an optimized animal-derived component free medium. J Biotechnol 2013; 166:152-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2013.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Revised: 04/29/2013] [Accepted: 05/02/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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