1
|
Woo HJ, Kim J, Kim SM, Kim D, Moon JY, Park D, Lee JS. Context-dependent genomic locus effects on antibody production in recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cells generated through random integration. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:1654-1665. [PMID: 38680870 PMCID: PMC11046053 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
High-yield production of therapeutic protein using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells requires stable cell line development (CLD). CLD typically uses random integration of transgenes; however, this results in clonal variation and subsequent laborious clone screening. Therefore, site-specific integration of a protein expression cassette into a desired chromosomal locus showing high transcriptional activity and stability, referred to as a hot spot, is emerging. Although positional effects are important for therapeutic protein expression, the sequence-specific mechanisms by which hotspots work are not well understood. In this study, we performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to locate randomly inserted vectors in the genome of recombinant CHO cells expressing high levels of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and experimentally validated these locations and vector compositions. The integration site was characterized by active histone marks and potential enhancer activities, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) mediated indel mutations in the region upstream of the integration site led to a significant reduction in specific antibody productivity by up to 30%. Notably, the integration site and its core region did not function equivalently outside the native genomic context, showing a minimal effect on the increase in exogenous protein expression in the host cell line. We also observed a superior production capacity of the mAb expressing cell line compared to that of the host cell line. Collectively, this study demonstrates that developing recombinant CHO cell lines to produce therapeutic proteins at high levels requires a balance of factors including transgene configuration, genomic locus landscape, and host cell properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Jee Woo
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaehoon Kim
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
- Molecular Science and Technology Research Center, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Seul Mi Kim
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongwoo Kim
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Yun Moon
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Daechan Park
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Seong Lee
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Shin SW, Min H, Kim J, Lee JS. A precise and sustainable doxycycline-inducible cell line development platform for reliable mammalian cell engineering with gain-of-function mutations. Metab Eng 2024; 86:12-28. [PMID: 39242074 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2024.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 08/20/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
For mammalian synthetic biology research, multiple orthogonal and tunable gene expression systems have been developed, among which the tetracycline (Tet)-inducible system is a key tool for gain-of-function mutations. Precise and long-lasting regulation of genetic circuits is necessary for the effective use of these systems in genetically engineered stable cell lines. However, current cell line development strategies, which depend on either random or site-specific integration along with antibiotic selection, are unpredictable and unsustainable, limiting their widespread use. To overcome these issues, we aimed to establish a Robust Overexpression via Site-specific integration of Effector (ROSE) system, a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9-mediated streamlined Tet-On3G-inducible master cell line (MCL) development platform. ROSE MCLs equipped with a landing pad facilitated the transcriptional regulation of various effector genes via recombinase-mediated cassette exchange. Long-term investigation revealed that the modular design of genetic payloads and integration sites significantly affected the induction capacity and stability, with ROSE MCLs exhibiting exceptional induction performance. To demonstrate the versatility of our platform, we explored its efficiency for the precise regulation of selection stringency, manufacturing of therapeutic antibodies with tunable expression levels and timing, and transcription factor engineering. Overall, this study demonstrated the effectiveness and reliability of the ROSE platform, highlighting its potential for various biological and biotechnological applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sung Wook Shin
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Honggi Min
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiwon Kim
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Seong Lee
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea; Advanced College of Bio-convergence Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yoon C, Lee EJ, Kim D, Joung S, Kim Y, Jung H, Kim YG, Lee GM. SiMPl-GS: Advancing Cell Line Development via Synthetic Selection Marker for Next-Generation Biopharmaceutical Production. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2405593. [PMID: 39105414 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202405593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Rapid and efficient cell line development (CLD) process is essential to expedite therapeutic protein development. However, the performance of widely used glutamine-based selection systems is limited by low selection efficiency, stringency, and the inability to select multiple genes. Therefore, an AND-gate synthetic selection system is rationally designed using split intein-mediated protein ligation of glutamine synthetase (GS) (SiMPl-GS). Split sites of the GS are selected using a computational approach and validated with GS-knockout Chinese hamster ovary cells for their potential to enable cell survival in a glutamine-free medium. In CLD, SiMPl-GS outperforms the wild-type GS by selectively enriching high producers. Unlike wild-type GS, SiMPl-GS results in cell pools in which most cells produce high levels of therapeutic proteins. Harnessing orthogonal split intein pairs further enables the selection of four plasmids with a single selection, streamlining multispecific antibody-producing CLD. Taken together, SiMPl-GS is a simple yet effective means to expedite CLD for therapeutic protein production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chansik Yoon
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Ji Lee
- Biotherapeutics Translational Research Center, KRIBB, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering, KRIBB School of Biotechnology, UST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongil Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Siyun Joung
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yujin Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Heungchae Jung
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering, KRIBB School of Biotechnology, UST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- BIO Center, Daejeon Technopark, Daejeon, 34054, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon-Gu Kim
- Biotherapeutics Translational Research Center, KRIBB, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering, KRIBB School of Biotechnology, UST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyun Min Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Gonzalez-Rivera JC, Galvan A, Ryder T, Milman M, Agarwal K, Kandari L, Khetan A. A high-titer scalable Chinese hamster ovary transient expression platform for production of biotherapeutics. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024. [PMID: 39101569 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Transient gene expression (TGE) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells offers a route to accelerate biologics development by delivering material weeks to months earlier than what is possible with conventional cell line development. However, low productivity, inconsistent product quality profiles, and scalability challenges have prevented its broader adoption. In this study, we develop a scalable CHO-based TGE system achieving 1.9 g/L of monoclonal antibody in an unmodified host. We integrated continuous flow-electroporation and alternate tangential flow (ATF) perfusion to enable an end-to-end closed system from N-1 perfusion to fed-batch 50-L bioreactor production. Optimization of both the ATF operation for three-in-one application-cell growth, buffer exchange, and cell mass concentration-and the flow-electroporation process, led to a platform for producing biotherapeutics using transiently transfected cells. We demonstrate scalability up to 50-L bioreactor, maintaining a titer over 1 g/L. We also show comparable quality between both transiently and stably produced material, and consistency across batches. The results confirm that purity, charge variants and N-glycan profiles are similar. Our study demonstrates the potential of CHO-based TGE platforms to accelerate biologics process development timelines and contributes evidence supporting its feasibility for manufacturing early clinical material, aiming to strengthen endorsement for TGE's wider implementation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Alberto Galvan
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Todd Ryder
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Monica Milman
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kitty Agarwal
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Lakshmi Kandari
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Anurag Khetan
- Biologics Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Duan M, Dev I, Lu A, Ayrapetyan G, You MY, Shapiro MG. SEMPER: Stoichiometric expression of mRNA polycistrons by eukaryotic ribosomes for compact, ratio-tunable multi-gene expression. Cell Syst 2024; 15:597-609.e4. [PMID: 38971149 PMCID: PMC11298409 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2024.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Here, we present a method for expressing multiple open reading frames (ORFs) from single transcripts using the leaky scanning model of translation initiation. In this approach termed "stoichiometric expression of mRNA polycistrons by eukaryotic ribosomes" (SEMPER), adjacent ORFs are translated from a single mRNA at tunable ratios determined by their order in the sequence and the strength of their translation initiation sites. We validate this approach by expressing up to three fluorescent proteins from one plasmid in two different cell lines. We then use it to encode a stoichiometrically tuned polycistronic construct encoding gas vesicle acoustic reporter genes that enables efficient formation of the multi-protein complex while minimizing cellular toxicity. We also demonstrate that SEMPER enables polycistronic expression of recombinant monoclonal antibodies from plasmid DNA and of two fluorescent proteins from single mRNAs made through in vitro transcription. Finally, we provide a probabilistic model to elucidate the mechanisms underlying SEMPER. A record of this paper's transparent peer review process is included in the supplemental information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengtong Duan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Ishaan Dev
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Andrew Lu
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; UCLA-Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Goar Ayrapetyan
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Mei Yi You
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Mikhail G Shapiro
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Yang CH, Li HC, Lo SY. Enhancing recombinant antibody yield in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Tzu Chi Med J 2024; 36:240-250. [PMID: 38993821 PMCID: PMC11236083 DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_315_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
A range of recombinant monoclonal antibodies (rMAbs) have found application in treating diverse diseases, spanning various cancers and immune system disorders. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells have emerged as the predominant choice for producing these rMAbs due to their robustness, ease of transfection, and capacity for posttranslational modifications akin to those in human cells. Transient transfection and/or stable expression could be conducted to express rMAbs in CHO cells. To bolster the yield of rMAbs in CHO cells, a multitude of approaches have been developed, encompassing vector optimization, medium formulation, cultivation parameters, and cell engineering. This review succinctly outlines these methodologies when also addressing challenges encountered in the production process, such as issues with aggregation and fucosylation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chee-Hing Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Chun Li
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Yen Lo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical, Hualien, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Peltret M, Vetsch P, Farvaque E, Mette R, Tsachaki M, Duarte L, Duret A, Vaxelaire E, Frank J, Moritz B, Aillerie C, Giovannini R, Bertschinger M. Development of a 10 g/L process for a difficult-to-express multispecific antibody format using a holistic process development approach. J Biotechnol 2024; 389:30-42. [PMID: 38685416 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2024.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Ichnos has developed a multi-specific antibody platform based on the BEAT® (Bispecific engagement by antibodies based on the T-cell receptor) interface. The increased complexity of the bi- and multi-specific formats generated with this platform makes these molecules difficult-to-express proteins compared to standard monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). This report describes how expression limitations of a bi-specific bi-paratopic BEAT antibody were improved in a holistic approach. An initial investigation allowed identification of a misbalance in the subunits composing the BEAT antibody as the potential root cause. This misbalance was then addressed by a signal peptide optimization, and the overall expression level was increased by the combination of two vector design elements on a single gene vector. Further improvements were made in the selection of cell populations and an upstream (USP) platform process was applied in combination with a cell culture temperature shift. This allowed titer levels of up to 6 g/L to be reached with these difficult-to-express proteins. Furthermore, a high-density seeding process was developed that allowed titers of around 11 g/L for the BEAT antibody, increasing the initial titer by a factor of 10. The approach was successfully applied to a tri-specific antibody with titer levels reaching 10 g/L. In summary, a platform process for difficult-to-express proteins was developed using molecular biology tools, cell line development, upstream process optimization and process intensification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mégane Peltret
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Vetsch
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences, Switzerland
| | | | - Romain Mette
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences, Switzerland
| | - Maria Tsachaki
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences, Switzerland
| | - Lionel Duarte
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences, Switzerland
| | - Anaïs Duret
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences, Switzerland
| | | | - Jana Frank
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Rives D, Peak C, Blenner MA. RNASeq highlights ATF6 pathway regulators for CHO cell engineering with different impacts of ATF6β and WFS1 knockdown on fed-batch production of IgG 1. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14141. [PMID: 38898154 PMCID: PMC11187196 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64767-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Secretion levels required of industrial Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines can challenge endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis, and ER stress caused by accumulation of misfolded proteins can be a bottleneck in biomanufacturing. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is initiated to restore homeostasis in response to ER stress, and optimization of the UPR can improve CHO cell production of therapeutic proteins. We compared the fed-batch growth, production characteristics, and transcriptomic response of an immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) producer to its parental, non-producing host cell line. We conducted differential gene expression analysis using high throughput RNA sequencing (RNASeq) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to study the ER stress response of each cell line during fed-batch culture. The UPR was activated in the IgG1 producer compared to the host cell line and our analysis of differential expression profiles indicated transient upregulation of ATF6α target mRNAs in the IgG1 producer, suggesting two upstream regulators of the ATF6 arm of the UPR, ATF6β and WFS1, are rational engineering targets. Although both ATF6β and WFS1 have been reported to negatively regulate ATF6α, this study shows knockdown of either target elicits different effects in an IgG1-producing CHO cell line. Stable knockdown of ATF6β decreased cell growth without decreasing titer; however, knockdown of WFS1 decreased titer without affecting growth. Relative expression measured by qPCR indicated no direct relationship between ATF6β and WFS1 expression, but upregulation of WFS1 in one pool was correlated with decreased growth and upregulation of ER chaperone mRNAs. While knockdown of WFS1 had negative impacts on UPR activation and product mRNA expression, knockdown of ATF6β improved the UPR specifically later in fed-batch leading to increased overall productivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dyllan Rives
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, 206 S. Palmetto Blvd., Clemson, SC, 29634-0909, USA
| | - Caroline Peak
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, 206 S. Palmetto Blvd., Clemson, SC, 29634-0909, USA
| | - Mark A Blenner
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, 206 S. Palmetto Blvd., Clemson, SC, 29634-0909, USA.
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 590 Avenue 1743, Newark, DE, 19713, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lee Z, Wan J, Shen A, Barnard G. Gene copy number, gene configuration and LC/HC mRNA ratio impact on antibody productivity and product quality in targeted integration CHO cell lines. Biotechnol Prog 2024; 40:e3433. [PMID: 38321634 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
The augmentation of transgene copy numbers is a prevalent approach presumed to enhance transcriptional activity and product yield. CHO cell lines engineered via targeted integration (TI) offer an advantageous platform for investigating the interplay between gene copy number, mRNA abundance, product yield, and product quality. Our investigation revealed that incrementally elevating the gene copy numbers of both IgG heavy chain (HC) and light chain (LC) concurrently resulted in the attainment of plateaus in mRNA levels and product titers, notably occurring beyond four to five gene copies integrated at the same TI site. Furthermore, maintaining a fixed gene copy number while varying the position of genes within the vector influenced the LC/HC mRNA ratio, which subsequently exerted a substantial impact on product titer. Moreover, manipulation of the LC/HC gene ratio through the introduction of surplus LC gene copies led to heightened LC mRNA expression and a reduction in the levels of high molecular weight species. It is noteworthy that the effects of excess LC on product titer were dependent on the specific molecule under consideration. The strategic utilization of PCR tags enabled precise quantification of transcription from each expression slot within the vector, facilitating the identification of highly expressive and less expressive slots. Collectively, these findings significantly enhance our understanding of stable antibody production in TI CHO cell lines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zion Lee
- Department of Cell Culture and Bioprocess Operations, Genentech, Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jun Wan
- Department of Cell Culture and Bioprocess Operations, Genentech, Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Amy Shen
- Department of Cell Culture and Bioprocess Operations, Genentech, Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Gavin Barnard
- Department of Cell Culture and Bioprocess Operations, Genentech, Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Bayat H, Farahmand F, Tabatabaee SH, Shams F, Mohammadian O, Pourmaleki E, Rahimpour A. Evaluation of the paired-Cas9 nickase and RNA-guided FokI genome editing tools in precise integration of an anti-CD52 bicistronic monoclonal antibody expression construct at Chinese hamster ovary cells 18S rDNA locus. Protein Expr Purif 2024; 217:106445. [PMID: 38342386 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2024.106445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to compare two CRISPR/Cas9-based orthogonal strategies, paired-Cas9 nickase (paired-Cas9n) and RNA-guided FokI (RFN), in targeting 18S rDNA locus in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and precisely integrating a bicistronic anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody (mAb) expression cassette into this locus. METHODS T7E1 and high-resolution melt (HRM) assays were used to compare the ability of mentioned systems in inducing double-strand break (DSB) at the target site. Moreover, 5'- and 3'-junction polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were used to verify the accuracy of the targeted integration of the mAb expression cassette into the 18S rDNA locus. Finally, anti-CD52 mAb gene copy number was measured and, its expression was analyzed using ELISA and western blot assays. RESULTS Our results indicated that both paired-Cas9n and RFN induced DSB at the target site albeit RFN performance was slightly more efficient in HRM analysis. We also confirmed that the anti-CD52 mAb cassette was accurately integrated at the 18S rDNA locus and the mAb was expressed successfully in CHO cells. CONCLUSION Taken together, our findings elucidated that both paired-Cas9n and RFN genome editing tools are promising in targeting the 18S rDNA locus. Site specific integration of the bicistronic anti-CD52 mAb expression cassette at this locus in the CHO-K1 cells was obtained, using RFN. Moreover, proper expression of the anti-CD52 mAb at the 18S rDNA target site can be achieved using the bicistronic internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-based vector system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hadi Bayat
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Faranak Farahmand
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sayed Hassan Tabatabaee
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Forough Shams
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Omid Mohammadian
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Es'hagh Pourmaleki
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Azam Rahimpour
- Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
LeBarre JP, Chu W, Altern SH, Kocot AJ, Bhandari D, Barbieri E, Sly J, Crapanzano M, Cramer SM, Phillips M, Roush D, Carbonell R, Boi C, Menegatti S. Mixed-mode size-exclusion silica resin for polishing human antibodies in flow-through mode. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1720:464772. [PMID: 38452560 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.464772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The polishing step in the downstream processing of therapeutic antibodies removes residual impurities from Protein A eluates. Among the various classes of impurities, antibody fragments are especially challenging to remove due to the broad biomolecular diversity generated by a multitude of fragmentation patterns. The current approach to fragment removal relies on ion exchange or mixed-mode adsorbents operated in bind-and-gradient-elution mode. However, fragments that bear strong similarity to the intact product or whose biophysical features deviate from the ensemble average can elude these adsorbents, and the lack of a chromatographic technology enabling robust antibody polishing is recognized as a major gap in downstream bioprocessing. Responding to this challenge, this study introduces size-exclusion mixed-mode (SEMM) silica resins as a novel chromatographic adsorbent for the capture of antibody fragments irrespective of their biomolecular features. The pore diameter of the silica beads features a narrow distribution and is selected to exclude monomeric antibodies, while allowing their fragments to access the pores where they are captured by the mixed-mode ligands. The static and dynamic binding capacity of the adsorbent ranged respectively between 30-45 and 25-33 gs of antibody fragments per liter of resin. Selected SEMM-silica resins also demonstrated the ability to capture antibody aggregates, which adsorb on the outer layer of the beads. Optimization of the SEMM-silica design and operation conditions - namely, pore size (10 nm) and ligand composition (quaternary amine and alkyl chain) as well as the linear velocity (100 cm/h), ionic strength (5.7 mS/cm), and pH (7) of the mobile phase - afforded a significant reduction of both fragments and aggregates, resulting into a final antibody yield up to 80% and monomeric purity above 97%.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob P LeBarre
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Wenning Chu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Scott H Altern
- The Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th St, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Andrew J Kocot
- The Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th St, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Dipendra Bhandari
- LigaTrap Technologies, Raleigh, 1791 Varsity Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Eduardo Barbieri
- LigaTrap Technologies, Raleigh, 1791 Varsity Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Jae Sly
- LigaTrap Technologies, Raleigh, 1791 Varsity Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Michael Crapanzano
- LigaTrap Technologies, Raleigh, 1791 Varsity Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Steven M Cramer
- The Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th St, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | | | - David Roush
- Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Rd, Kenilworth, Roush Biopharma Panacea, 20 Squire Terrace, Colts Neck, NJ, 07033, USA
| | - Ruben Carbonell
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA; Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, 850 Oval Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Cristiana Boi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA; Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, 850 Oval Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA; Department of Civil, Chemical Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Via Terracini 28, 40131, Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefano Menegatti
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA; LigaTrap Technologies, Raleigh, 1791 Varsity Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA; Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, 850 Oval Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA; North Carolina Viral Vector Initiative in Research and Learning (NC-VVIRAL), North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Aebischer-Gumy C, Moretti P, Brunstein Laplace T, Frank J, Grand Y, Mosbaoui F, Hily E, Galea A, Peltret M, Estoppey C, Ayoub D, Giovannini R, Bertschinger M. Alternative splicing for tuneable expression of protein subunits at desired ratios. MAbs 2024; 16:2342243. [PMID: 38650451 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2024.2342243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The controlled expression of two or more proteins at a defined and stable ratio remains a substantial challenge, particularly in the bi- and multispecific antibody field. Achieving an optimal ratio of protein subunits can facilitate the assembly of multimeric proteins with high efficiency and minimize the production of by-products. In this study, we propose a solution based on alternative splicing, enabling the expression of a tunable and predefined ratio of two distinct polypeptide chains from the same pre-mRNA under the control of a single promoter. The pre-mRNA used in this study contains two open reading frames situated on separate exons. The first exon is flanked by two copies of the chicken troponin intron 4 (cTNT-I4) and is susceptible to excision from the pre-mRNA by means of alternative splicing. This specific design enables the modulation of the splice ratio by adjusting the strength of the splice acceptor. To illustrate this approach, we developed constructs expressing varying ratios of GFP and dsRED and extended their application to multimeric proteins such as monoclonal antibodies, achieving industrially relevant expression levels (>1 g/L) in a 14-day fed-batch process. The stability of the splice ratio was confirmed by droplet digital PCR in a stable pool cultivated over a 28-day period, while product quality was assessed via intact mass analysis, demonstrating absence of product-related impurities resulting from undesired splice events. Furthermore, we showcased the versatility of the construct by expressing two subunits of a bispecific antibody of the BEAT® type, which contains three distinct subunits in total.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christel Aebischer-Gumy
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Pierre Moretti
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Timothee Brunstein Laplace
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Jana Frank
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Ysaline Grand
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Farid Mosbaoui
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Emilie Hily
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Anna Galea
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Megane Peltret
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Carole Estoppey
- Antibody Engineering, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Ayoub
- Analytical Development, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Roberto Giovannini
- Process Sciences, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Martin Bertschinger
- Drug Substance Development, Ichnos Sciences SA (formerly Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Kozisek T, Samuelson L, Hamann A, Pannier AK. Systematic comparison of nonviral gene delivery strategies for efficient co-expression of two transgenes in human mesenchymal stem cells. J Biol Eng 2023; 17:76. [PMID: 38062439 PMCID: PMC10704746 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-023-00394-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are being researched for cell-based therapies due to a host of unique properties, however, genetic modification of hMSCs, accomplished through nonviral gene delivery, could greatly advance their therapeutic potential. Furthermore, expression of multiple transgenes in hMSCs could greatly advance their clinical significance for treatment of multifaceted diseases, as individual transgenes could be expressed that target separate pathogenic drivers of complex diseases. Expressing multiple transgenes can be accomplished by delivering multiple DNA vectors encoding for each transgene, or by delivering a single poly-cistronic vector that encodes for each transgene and accomplishes expression through either use of multiple promoters, an internal ribosome entry site (IRES), or a 2A peptide sequence. These different transgene expression strategies have been used to express multiple transgenes in various mammalian cells, however, they have not been fully evaluated in difficult-to-transfect primary cells, like hMSCs. This study systematically compared four transgene expression and delivery strategies for expression of two reporter transgenes in four donors of hMSCs from two tissue sources using lipid- and polymer-mediate transfection, as follows: (i) delivery of separate DNA vectors in separate nanoparticles; (ii) delivery of separate DNA vectors combined in the same nanoparticle; (iii) delivery of a bi-cistronic DNA vector with an IRES sequence via nanoparticles; and (iv) delivery of a bi-cistronic DNA vector with a dual 2A peptide sequence via nanoparticles. RESULTS Our results indicate that expression of two transgenes in hMSCs, independent of expression or delivery strategy, is inefficient compared to expressing a single transgene. However, delivery of separate DNA vectors complexed in the same nanoparticle, or delivery of a bi-cistronic DNA vector with a dual 2A peptide sequence, significantly increased the number of hMSCs expressing both transgenes compared to other conditions tested. CONCLUSION Separate DNA vectors delivered in the same nanoparticle and bi-cistronic DNA vectors with dual 2A peptide sequences are highly efficient at simultaneously expressing two transgenes in multiple donors of hMSCs from different tissue sources. The data presented in this work can guide the development of hMSC transfection systems for delivery of multiple transgenes, with the goal of producing clinically relevant, genetically modified hMSCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Kozisek
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0900, USA
| | - Luke Samuelson
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0900, USA
| | - Andrew Hamann
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0900, USA
| | - Angela K Pannier
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0900, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Beal KM, Bandara KR, Ali SR, Sonak RG, Barnes MR, Scarcelli JJ, Zhang L. The impact of expression vector position on transgene transcription allows for rational expression vector design in a targeted integration system. Biotechnol J 2023; 18:e2300038. [PMID: 37272404 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Site-specific integration (SSI) technology has emerged as an effective approach by the pharmaceutical industry for the development of recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines. While SSI systems have been demonstrated to be effective for the development of CHO cell lines, they can be limiting in terms of both transgene expression and in the case of multi-specifics, the ability to generate the correct product of interest. To maximize the performance of Pfizer's dual SSI expression system for expressing monoclonal and multi-specific antibodies, we used a novel approach to investigate the positional effect of transgenes within expression vectors by engineering nucleotide polymorphisms (NP)s to use as biomarkers to track the level of transcript output from each expression vector position. We observed differences in transcript level for two different transgenes across all four expression vector positions interrogated. We then applied these learnings to rationally design expression vectors for six different mAbs and a multi-specific antibody. We showed enhanced productivity and optimal product quality when compared to a conventional expression vector topology. The learnings gained here can potentially aid in the determination of optimal vector topologies for several IgG-like multi-specific formats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Beal
- Cell Line Development, Bioprocess R&D, Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Andover, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kalpanie R Bandara
- Cell Line Development, Bioprocess R&D, Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Andover, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Syed R Ali
- Cell Line Development, Bioprocess R&D, Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Andover, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Renuka G Sonak
- Cell Line Development, Bioprocess R&D, Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Andover, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael R Barnes
- Cell Line Development, Bioprocess R&D, Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Andover, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John J Scarcelli
- Cell Line Development, Bioprocess R&D, Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Andover, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lin Zhang
- Cell Line Development, Bioprocess R&D, Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Andover, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Sou SN, Harris CL, Williams R, Kozub D, Zurlo F, Patel YD, Kallamvalli Illam Sankaran P, Daramola O, Brown A, James DC, Hatton D, Dunn S, Gibson SJ. CHO synthetic promoters improve expression and product quality of biotherapeutic proteins. Biotechnol Prog 2023; 39:e3348. [PMID: 37114854 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
When expressing complex biotherapeutic proteins, traditional expression plasmids and methods may not always yield sufficient levels of high-quality product. High-strength viral promoters commonly used for recombinant protein (rProtein) production in mammalian cells allow for maximal expression, but provide limited scope to alter their transcription dynamics. However, synthetic promoters designed to provide tunable transcriptional activity offer a plasmid engineering approach to more precisely regulate product quality, yield or to reduce product related contaminants. We substituted the viral promoter CMV with synthetic promoters that offer different transcriptional activities to express our gene of interest in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Stable pools were established and the benefits of regulating transgene transcription on the quality of biotherapeutics were examined in stable pool fed-batch overgrow experiments. Specific control of gene expression of the heavy chain (HC):light chain (LC) of a Fab, and the ratio between the two HCs in a Duet mAb reduced levels of aberrant protein contaminants; and the controlled expression of the helper gene XBP-1s improved expression of a difficult-to-express mAb. This synthetic promoter technology benefits applications that require custom activity. Our work highlights the advantages of employing synthetic promoters for production of more complex rProteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Si Nga Sou
- BioPharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Claire L Harris
- BioPharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Dorota Kozub
- BioPharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Fabio Zurlo
- BioPharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Yash D Patel
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | | | - Adam Brown
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - David C James
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Diane Hatton
- BioPharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sarah Dunn
- BioPharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zhou J, Yan GG, Cluckey D, Meade C, Ruth M, Sorm R, Tam AS, Lim S, Petridis C, Lin L, D’Antona AM, Zhong X. Exploring Parametric and Mechanistic Differences between Expi293F TM and ExpiCHO-S TM Cells for Transient Antibody Production Optimization. Antibodies (Basel) 2023; 12:53. [PMID: 37606437 PMCID: PMC10443273 DOI: 10.3390/antib12030053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapidly producing drug-like antibody therapeutics for lead molecule discovery and candidate optimization is typically accomplished by large-scale transient gene expression technologies (TGE) with cultivated mammalian cells. The TGE methodologies have been extensively developed over the past three decades, yet produce significantly lower yields than the stable cell line approach, facing the technical challenge of achieving universal high expression titers for a broad range of antibodies and therapeutics modalities. In this study, we explored various parameters for antibody production in the TGE cell host Expi293FTM and ExpiCHO-STM with the transfection reagents ExpiFectamineTM and polyethylenimine. We discovered that there are significant differences between Expi293FTM and ExpiCHO-STM cells with regards to DNA complex formation time and ratio, complex formation buffers, DNA complex uptake trafficking routes, responses to dimethyl sulfoxide and cell cycle inhibitors, as well as light-chain isotype expression preferences. This investigation mechanistically dissected the TGE processes and provided a new direction for future transient antibody production optimization.
Collapse
|
17
|
Tian KK, Qian ZG, Xia XX. Synthetic biology-guided design and biosynthesis of protein polymers for delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 194:114728. [PMID: 36791475 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Vehicles derived from genetically engineered protein polymers have gained momentum in the field of biomedical engineering due to their unique designability, remarkable biocompatibility and excellent biodegradability. However, the design and production of these protein polymers with on-demand sequences and supramolecular architectures remain underexplored, particularly from a synthetic biology perspective. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the art strategies for constructing the highly repetitive genes encoding the protein polymers, and highlight the advanced approaches for metabolically engineering expression hosts towards high-level biosynthesis of the target protein polymers. Finally, we showcase the typical protein polymers utilized to fabricate delivery vehicles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Kai Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Gang Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Xia Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Toporova VA, Argentova VV, Aliev TK, Panina AA, Dolgikh DA, Kirpichnikov MP. Optimization of recombinant antibody production based on the vector design and the level of metabolites for generation of Ig- producing stable cell lines. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2023; 21:23. [PMID: 36811683 PMCID: PMC9947203 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-023-00474-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The biopharmaceutical industry is significantly growing worldwide, and the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are used as a main expression host for the production of recombinant monoclonal antibodies. Various metabolic engineering approaches have been investigated to generate cell lines with improved metabolic characteristics for increasing longevity and mAb production. A novel cell culture method based on the 2-stage selection makes it possible to develop a stable cell line with high-quality mAb production. RESULTS We have constructed several design options of mammalian expression vectors for the high production of recombinant human IgG antibodies. Versions for bipromoter and bicistronic expression plasmids different in promoter orientation and cistron arrangements were generated. The aim of the work presented here was to assess a high-throughput mAb production system that integrates the advantages of high-efficiency cloning and stable cell clones to stage strategy selection reducing the time and effort required to express therapeutic monoclonal mAbs. Development of a stable cell line using bicistronic construct with EMCV IRES-long link gave an advantage in high mAb expression and long-term stability. Two-stage selection strategies allowed the elimination of low-producer clones by using metabolic level intensity to estimate the IgG production in the early steps of selection. The practical application of the new method allows to reduce time and costs during stable cell line development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- V. A. Toporova
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya ul. 16/10, GSP-7, Moscow, 117997 Russia
| | - V. V. Argentova
- grid.14476.300000 0001 2342 9668Department of Bioengineering, Biology Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye gory 1-12, Moscow, 119234 Russia
| | - T. K. Aliev
- grid.14476.300000 0001 2342 9668Department of Chemical Enzymology, School of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye gory 1–3, Moscow, 119234 Russia
| | - A. A. Panina
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya ul. 16/10, GSP-7, Moscow, 117997 Russia
| | - D. A. Dolgikh
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya ul. 16/10, GSP-7, Moscow, 117997 Russia ,grid.14476.300000 0001 2342 9668Department of Bioengineering, Biology Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye gory 1-12, Moscow, 119234 Russia
| | - M. P. Kirpichnikov
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya ul. 16/10, GSP-7, Moscow, 117997 Russia ,grid.14476.300000 0001 2342 9668Department of Bioengineering, Biology Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye gory 1-12, Moscow, 119234 Russia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Design, Production, Characterization, and Use of Peptide Antibodies. Antibodies (Basel) 2023; 12:antib12010006. [PMID: 36648890 PMCID: PMC9844468 DOI: 10.3390/antib12010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibodies are key reagents in diagnostics, therapeutics, and experimental biology, capable of detecting numerous targets [...].
Collapse
|
20
|
Kelsall E, Harris C, Sen T, Hatton D, Dunn S, Gibson S. Interplay of heavy chain introns influences efficient transcript splicing and affects product quality of recombinant biotherapeutic antibodies from CHO cells. MAbs 2023; 15:2242548. [PMID: 37555672 PMCID: PMC10413919 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2023.2242548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introns are included in genes encoding therapeutic proteins for their well-documented function of boosting expression. However, mis-splicing of introns in recombinant immunoglobulin (IgG) heavy chain (HC) transcripts can produce amino acid sequence product variants. These variants can affect product quality; therefore, purification process optimization may be needed to remove them, or if they cannot be removed, then in-depth characterization must be carried out to understand their effects on biological activity. In this study, HC transgene engineering approaches were investigated and were successful in significantly reducing the previously identified IgG HC splice variants to <0.5%. Subsequently, a comprehensive evaluation was conducted to understand the influence of the different introns in the HC genes on the expression of recombinant biotherapeutic antibodies. The data revealed an unexpected cooperation between specific introns for efficient splicing, where intron retention led to significant reductions in IgG expression of up to 75% for some intron combinations. Furthermore, it was shown that HC introns could be fully removed without significantly affecting productivity. This work paves the way for future biotherapeutic antibody transgene design with regard to inclusion of HC introns. By removing unnecessary introns, transgene mRNA transcript will no longer be mis-spliced, thereby eliminating HC splice variants and improving antibody product quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Kelsall
- Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Claire Harris
- Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Titash Sen
- Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Diane Hatton
- Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sarah Dunn
- Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Suzanne Gibson
- Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Madsen A, Mejias-Gomez O, Pedersen LE, Skovgaard K, Kristensen P, Goletz S. Immobilization-Free Binding and Affinity Characterization of Higher Order Bispecific Antibody Complexes Using Size-Based Microfluidics. Anal Chem 2022; 94:13652-13658. [PMID: 36166291 PMCID: PMC9558742 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Simultaneous targeting of different antigens by bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) is permitting synergistic binding functionalities with high therapeutic potential, but is also rendering their analysis challenging. We introduce flow-induced dispersion analysis (FIDA) for the in-depth characterization of bsAbs with diverse molecular architectures and valencies under near-native conditions without potentially obstructive surface immobilization. Individual equilibrium dissociation constants are determined in solution, even in higher-order complexes with both antigens involved, hereby allowing the analysis of binding cooperativity and elucidation of a potential interference between the interactions. We further illustrate bispecific binding functionality as incremental increases in complex sizes when the bsAbs are exposed to one or two antigens. The possibility for comprehensive binding analysis with low material consumption and high matrix tolerability irrespective of molecular format and with little optimization renders FIDA a versatile tool for format selection and characterization of complex bi/multispecific protein therapeutics throughout the drug development and biomanufacturing pipeline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas
V. Madsen
- Department
of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical
University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 224, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Oscar Mejias-Gomez
- Department
of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical
University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 224, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lasse E. Pedersen
- Department
of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical
University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 224, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kerstin Skovgaard
- Department
of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical
University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 224, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Peter Kristensen
- Department
of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Steffen Goletz
- Department
of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical
University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 224, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
An effective strategy for the humanization of antibody fragments under an accelerated timeline. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 216:465-474. [PMID: 35803408 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.06.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in therapy is gradually advancing and discussions entail its safety, rentability and effectiveness. To this date, around a hundred mAbs have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of various diseases. Aiming for their large-scale production, recombinant DNA technology is mainly employed, and antibodies can be expressed in various eukaryotic and prokaryotic systems. Moreover, considering their heterologous origin and potential immunogenicity, various strategies have been developed for mAb humanization, considering that around 50 % of commercial mAbs are humanized. Hence, we introduce LimAb7, a mouse mAb capable of binding and neutralizing brown spider's Loxosceles intermedia dermonecrotic toxins in vivo/in vitro. This antibody has been produced in mouse and humanized scFv and diabody formats, however results indicated losses in antigen-binding affinity, stability, and neutralizing ability. Intending to develop evolved, stable, and neutralizing antibody fragments, we report for the first time the design of humanized antibody V-domains produced as Fab fragments, against spider venom toxins. Improvements in constructs were observed regarding their physicochemical stability, target binding and binding pattern maintenance. As their neutralizing features remain to be characterized, we believe this data sheds new light on antibody humanization by producing a parental molecule in different recombinant formats.
Collapse
|
23
|
Yang W, Zhang J, Xiao Y, Li W, Wang T. Screening Strategies for High-Yield Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell Clones. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:858478. [PMID: 35782513 PMCID: PMC9247297 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.858478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are by far the most commonly used mammalian expression system for recombinant expression of therapeutic proteins in the pharmaceutical industry. The development of high-yield stable cell lines requires processes of transfection, selection, screening and adaptation, among which the screening process requires tremendous time and determines the level of forming highly productive monoclonal cell lines. Therefore, how to achieve productive cell lines is a major question prior to industrial manufacturing. Cell line development (CLD) is one of the most critical steps in the production of recombinant therapeutic proteins. Generation of high-yield cell clones is mainly based on the time-consuming, laborious process of selection and screening. With the increase in recombinant therapeutic proteins expressed by CHO cells, CLD has become a major bottleneck in obtaining cell lines for manufacturing. The basic principles for CLD include preliminary screening for high-yield cell pool, single-cell isolation and improvement of productivity, clonality and stability. With the development of modern analysis and testing technologies, various screening methods have been used for CLD to enhance the selection efficiency of high-yield clonal cells. This review provides a comprehensive overview on preliminary screening methods for high-yield cell pool based on drug selective pressure. Moreover, we focus on high throughput methods for isolating high-yield cell clones and increasing the productivity and stability, as well as new screening strategies used for the biopharmaceutical industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Recombinant Pharmaceutical Protein Expression System of Henan, Xinxiang, China
| | - Junhe Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Recombinant Pharmaceutical Protein Expression System of Henan, Xinxiang, China
- Institutes of Health Central Plains, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- *Correspondence: Tianyun Wang, ; Junhe Zhang,
| | - Yunxi Xiao
- Institutes of Health Central Plains, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Wenqing Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Tianyun Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Recombinant Pharmaceutical Protein Expression System of Henan, Xinxiang, China
- *Correspondence: Tianyun Wang, ; Junhe Zhang,
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Xu T, Zhang J, Wang T, Wang X. Recombinant antibodies aggregation and overcoming strategies in CHO cells. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:3913-3922. [PMID: 35608667 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11977-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian cell lines are frequently used as the preferred host cells for producing recombinant therapeutic proteins (RTPs) having post-translational modified modifications similar to those observed in proteins produced by human cells. Nowadays, most RTPs approved for marketing are produced in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Recombinant therapeutic antibodies (RTAs) are among the most important and promising RTPs for biomedical applications. A major limitation associated with the use of RTAs is their aggregation, which can be caused by a variety of factors; this results in a reduction of quality. RTA aggregations are especially concerning as they can trigger human immune responses in humans and may be fatal. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying RTA aggregation and measures for avoiding aggregation are interesting topics in RTAs research. In this review, we discuss recent progress in the field of RTAs aggregation, with a focus on factors that cause aggregation during RTA production and the development of strategies for overcoming RTA aggregation. KEY POINTS: • The recombinant antibody aggregation in mammalian cell systems is reviewed. • Intracellular environment and extracellular parameters influence recombinant antibody aggregation. • Reducing the aggregations can improve the quality of recombinant antibodies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Xu
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Recombinant Pharmaceutical Protein Expression System of Henan, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan, China.,The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453002, Henan, China
| | - Jihong Zhang
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Recombinant Pharmaceutical Protein Expression System of Henan, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan, China.,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan, China
| | - Tianyun Wang
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Recombinant Pharmaceutical Protein Expression System of Henan, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan, China. .,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan, China.
| | - Xiaoyin Wang
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Recombinant Pharmaceutical Protein Expression System of Henan, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan, China. .,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Zhang JH, Shan LL, Liang F, Du CY, Li JJ. Strategies and Considerations for Improving Recombinant Antibody Production and Quality in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:856049. [PMID: 35316944 PMCID: PMC8934426 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.856049] [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: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant antibodies are rapidly developing therapeutic agents; approximately 40 novel antibody molecules enter clinical trials each year, most of which are produced from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. However, one of the major bottlenecks restricting the development of antibody drugs is how to perform high-level expression and production of recombinant antibodies. The high-efficiency expression and quality of recombinant antibodies in CHO cells is determined by multiple factors. This review provides a comprehensive overview of several state-of-the-art approaches, such as optimization of gene sequence of antibody, construction and optimization of high-efficiency expression vector, using antibody expression system, transformation of host cell lines, and glycosylation modification. Finally, the authors discuss the potential of large-scale production of recombinant antibodies and development of culture processes for biopharmaceutical manufacturing in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun-He Zhang
- Institutes of Health Central Plains, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Recombinant Pharmaceutical Protein Expression System, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- *Correspondence: Jun-He Zhang,
| | - Lin-Lin Shan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Fan Liang
- Institutes of Health Central Plains, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Chen-Yang Du
- Institutes of Health Central Plains, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Jing-Jing Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Heng ZSL, Yeo JY, Koh DWS, Gan SKE, Ling WL. Augmenting recombinant antibody production in HEK293E cells: Optimising transfection and culture parameters. Antib Ther 2022; 5:30-41. [PMID: 35146331 PMCID: PMC8825235 DOI: 10.1093/abt/tbac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Optimising recombinant antibody production is important for cost-effective therapeutics and diagnostics. With impact on commercialisation, higher productivity beyond laboratory scales is highly sought, where efficient production can also accelerate antibody characterisations and investigations.
Methods
Investigating HEK293E cells for mammalian antibody production, various transfection and culture parameters were systematically analysed for antibody light chain production before evaluating them for whole antibody production. Transfection parameters investigated include seeding cell density, the concentration of the transfection reagent and DNA, complexation time, temperature, and volume, as well as culture parameters such as medium replacement, serum deprivation, use of cell maintenance antibiotic, incubation temperature, medium volume, post-transfection harvest day and common nutrient supplements.
Results
Using 2 mL adherent HEK293E cell culture transfections with 25 kDa linear Polyethylenimine in the most optimised parameters, we demonstrated a ~ 2-fold production increase for light chain alone and for whole antibody production reaching 536 and 49 μg respectively in a cost-effective manner. With the addition of peptone, κ light chain increased by ~ 4-fold to 1032 μg while whole antibody increased to a lesser extent by ~ 2.5-fold to 51 μg, with benefits potentially for antibodies limited by their light chains in production.
Conclusions
Our optimised findings show promise for a more efficient and convenient antibody production method through transfection and culture optimisations that can be incorporated to scale up processes and with potential transferability to other mammalian-based recombinant protein production using HEK293E cells.
Statement of Significance
Recombinant antibody production is crucial for antibody research and development. Systematically investigating transfection and culture parameters such as PEI/DNA concentrations, complexation time, volume, and temperature, supplements, etc., we demonstrated a ~ 4-fold light chain alone production increase to 1032 μg and a 2.5-fold whole antibody production increase to 51 μg from 2 mL transfections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zealyn Shi-Lin Heng
- Antibody & Product Development Lab, EDDC-BII, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138672, Singapore
| | - Joshua Yi Yeo
- Antibody & Product Development Lab, EDDC-BII, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138672, Singapore
| | - Darius Wen-Shuo Koh
- Antibody & Product Development Lab, EDDC-BII, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138672, Singapore
| | - Samuel Ken-En Gan
- Antibody & Product Development Lab, EDDC-BII, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138672, Singapore
- APD SKEG Pte Ltd., Singapore 439444, Singapore
- James Cook University, Singapore 387380, Singapore
| | - Wei-Li Ling
- Antibody & Product Development Lab, EDDC-BII, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138672, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Irani V, Soliman C, Raftis MA, Guy AJ, Elbourne A, Ramsland PA. Expression of monoclonal antibodies for functional and structural studies. METHODS IN MICROBIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mim.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
28
|
Mehta D, Chirmade T, Tungekar AA, Gani K, Bhambure R. Cloning and expression of antibody fragment (Fab) I: Effect of expression construct and induction strategies on light and heavy chain gene expression. Biochem Eng J 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2021.108189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
29
|
Wang X, Marchisio MA. Synthetic polycistronic sequences in eukaryotes. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2021; 6:254-261. [PMID: 34584993 PMCID: PMC8449083 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The need for co-ordinate, high-level, and stable expression of multiple genes is essential for the engineering of biosynthetic circuits and metabolic pathways. This work outlines the functionality and design of IRES- and 2 A-peptide-based constructs by comparing different strategies for co-expression in polycistronic vectors. In particular, 2 A sequences are small peptides, mostly derived from viral polyproteins, that mediate a ribosome-skipping event such that several, different, separate proteins can be generated from a single open reading frame. When applied to metabolic engineering and synthetic gene circuits, 2 A peptides permit to achieve co-regulated and reliable expression of various genes in eukaryotic cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuekun Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, 300072, Tianjin, China
| | - Mario Andrea Marchisio
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, 300072, Tianjin, China
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Opdensteinen P, Meyer S, Buyel JF. Nicotiana spp. for the Expression and Purification of Functional IgG3 Antibodies Directed Against the Staphylococcus aureus Alpha Toxin. FRONTIERS IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fceng.2021.737010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunoglobulin subclass IgG1 is bound and neutralized effectively by Staphylococcus aureus protein A, allowing the bacterium to evade the host’s adaptive immune response. In contrast, the IgG3 subclass is not bound by protein A and can be used to treat S. aureus infections, including drug-resistant strains such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, the yields of recombinant IgG3 are generally low because this subclass is prone to degradation, and recovery is hindered by the inability to use protein A as an affinity ligand for antibody purification. Here, we investigated plants (Nicotiana spp.) as an alternative to microbes and mammalian cell cultures for the production of an IgG3 antibody specific for the S. aureus alpha toxin. We targeted recombinant IgG3 to different subcellular compartments and tested different chromatography conditions to improve recovery and purification. Finally, we tested the antigen-binding capacity of the purified antibodies. The highest IgG3 levels in planta (>130 mg kg−1 wet biomass) were achieved by targeting the endoplasmic reticulum or apoplast. Although the purity of IgG3 exceeded 95% following protein G chromatography, product recovery requires further improvement. Importantly, the binding affinity of the purified antibodies was in the nanomolar range and thus comparable to previous studies using murine hybridoma cells as the production system.
Collapse
|
31
|
Vermeire G, De Smidt E, Geukens N, Williams JA, Declerck P, Hollevoet K. Improved Potency and Safety of DNA-Encoded Antibody Therapeutics Through Plasmid Backbone and Expression Cassette Engineering. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 32:1200-1209. [PMID: 34482757 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA-encoded delivery of antibodies presents a labor- and cost-effective alternative to conventional antibody therapeutics. This study aims to improve the potency and safety of this approach by evaluating various plasmid backbones and expression cassettes. In vitro, antibody levels consistently improved with decreasing sizes of backbone, ranging from conventional to minimal. In vivo, following intramuscular electrotransfer in mice, the correlation was less consistent. While the largest conventional plasmid (10.2 kb) gave the lowest monoclonal antibody (mAb) levels, a regular conventional plasmid (8.6 kb) demonstrated similar levels as a minimal Nanoplasmid (6.8 kb). A reduction in size beyond a standard conventional backbone thus did not improve mAb levels in vivo. Cassette modifications, such as swapping antibody chain order or use of two versus a single encoding plasmid, significantly increased antibody expression in vitro, but failed to translate in vivo. Conversely, a significant improvement in vivo but not in vitro was found with a set of muscle-specific promoters, of which a newly engineered variant gave roughly 1.5- to 2-fold higher plasma antibody concentrations than the ubiquitous CAG promoter. In conclusion, despite the limited translation between in vitro and in vivo, we identified various clinically relevant improvements to our DNA-based antibody platform, both in potency and biosafety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giles Vermeire
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elien De Smidt
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,PharmAbs, the KU Leuven Antibody Center-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nick Geukens
- PharmAbs, the KU Leuven Antibody Center-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Paul Declerck
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,PharmAbs, the KU Leuven Antibody Center-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kevin Hollevoet
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,PharmAbs, the KU Leuven Antibody Center-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Factors affecting the quality of therapeutic proteins in recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cell culture. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 54:107831. [PMID: 34480988 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the most widely used mammalian host cells for the commercial production of therapeutic proteins. Fed-batch culture is widely used to produce therapeutic proteins, including monoclonal antibodies, because of its operational simplicity and high product titer. Despite technical advances in the development of culture media and cell cultures, it is still challenging to maintain high productivity in fed-batch cultures while also ensuring good product quality. In this review, factors that affect the quality attributes of therapeutic proteins in recombinant CHO (rCHO) cell culture, such as glycosylation, charge variation, aggregation, and degradation, are summarized and categorized into three groups: culture environments, chemical additives, and host cell proteins accumulated in culture supernatants. Understanding the factors that influence the therapeutic protein quality in rCHO cell culture will facilitate the development of large-scale, high-yield fed-batch culture processes for the production of high-quality therapeutic proteins.
Collapse
|
33
|
Guo C, Chen F, Xiao Q, Catterall HB, Robinson JH, Wang Z, Mock M, Hubert R. Expression liabilities in a four-chain bispecific molecule. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:3744-3759. [PMID: 34110008 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Multispecific antibodies, often composed of three to five polypeptide chains, have become increasingly relevant in the development of biotherapeutics. These molecules have mechanisms of action that include redirecting T cells to tumors and blocking multiple pathogenic mediators simultaneously. One of the major challenges for asymmetric multispecific antibodies is generating a high proportion of the correctly paired antibody during production. To understand the causes and effects of chain mispairing impurities in a difficult to express multispecific hetero-IgG, we investigated consequences of individual and pairwise chain expression in mammalian transient expression hosts. We found that one of the two light chains (LC) was not secretion competent when transfected individually or cotransfected with the noncognate heavy chain (HC). Overexpression of this secretion impaired LC reduced cell growth while inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) expression. The majority of this LC was observed as monomer with incomplete intrachain disulfide bonds when expressed individually. Russell bodies (RB) were induced when this LC was co-expressed with the cognate HC. Moreover, one HC paired promiscuously with noncognate LC. These results identify the causes for the low product quality observed from stable cell lines expressing this heteroIgG and suggest mitigation strategies to improve overall process productivity of the correctly paired multispecific antibody. The approach described here provides a general strategy for identifying the molecular and cellular liabilities associated with difficult to express multispecific antibodies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cai Guo
- Department of Therapeutic Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - Fuyi Chen
- Department of Therapeutic Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - Qiang Xiao
- Department of Therapeutic Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - Hannah B Catterall
- Department of Therapeutic Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - John H Robinson
- Department of Therapeutic Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - Zhulun Wang
- Department of Therapeutic Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Marissa Mock
- Department of Therapeutic Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - René Hubert
- Department of Therapeutic Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Carrara SC, Fiebig D, Bogen JP, Grzeschik J, Hock B, Kolmar H. Recombinant Antibody Production Using a Dual-Promoter Single Plasmid System. ANTIBODIES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:antib10020018. [PMID: 34068440 PMCID: PMC8161450 DOI: 10.3390/antib10020018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have demonstrated tremendous effects on the treatment of various disease indications and remain the fastest growing class of therapeutics. Production of recombinant antibodies is performed using mammalian expression systems to facilitate native antibody folding and post-translational modifications. Generally, mAb expression systems utilize co-transfection of heavy chain (hc) and light chain (lc) genes encoded on separate plasmids. In this study, we examine the production of two FDA-approved antibodies using a bidirectional (BiDi) vector encoding both hc and lc with mirrored promoter and enhancer elements on a single plasmid, by analysing the individual hc and lc mRNA expression levels and subsequent quantification of fully-folded IgGs on the protein level. From the assessment of different promoter combinations, we have developed a generic expression vector comprised of mirrored enhanced CMV (eCMV) promoters showing comparable mAb yields to a two-plasmid reference. This study paves the way to facilitate small-scale mAb production by transient cell transfection with a single vector in a cost- and time-efficient manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefania C. Carrara
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany; (S.C.C.); (D.F.); (J.P.B.)
- Ferring Darmstadt Laboratories, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany;
| | - David Fiebig
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany; (S.C.C.); (D.F.); (J.P.B.)
- Ferring Darmstadt Laboratories, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany;
| | - Jan P. Bogen
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany; (S.C.C.); (D.F.); (J.P.B.)
- Ferring Darmstadt Laboratories, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany;
| | - Julius Grzeschik
- Ferring Darmstadt Laboratories, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany;
| | - Björn Hock
- Ferring International Center S.A, Chemin de la Vergognausaz 50, CH-1162 Saint Prex, Switzerland;
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany; (S.C.C.); (D.F.); (J.P.B.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Bhaskara V, Leal MT, Seigner J, Friedrich T, Kreidl E, Gadermaier E, Tesarz M, Rogalli A, Stangl L, Wallwitz J, Hammel K, Rothbauer M, Moll H, Ertl P, Hahn R, Himmler G, Bauer A, Casanova E. Efficient production of recombinant secretory IgA against Clostridium difficile toxins in CHO-K1 cells. J Biotechnol 2021; 331:1-13. [PMID: 33689865 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2021.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Despite the essential role secretory IgAs play in the defense against pathogenic invasion and the proposed value of recombinant secretory IgAs as novel therapeutics, currently there are no IgA-based therapies in clinics. Secretory IgAs are complex molecules and the major bottleneck limiting their therapeutic potential is a reliable recombinant production system. In this report, we addressed this issue and established a fast and robust production method for secretory IgAs in CHO-K1 cells using BAC-based expression vectors. As a proof of principle, we produced IgAs against Clostridium difficile toxins TcdA and TcdB. Recombinant secretory IgAs produced using our expression system showed comparable titers to IgGs, widely used as therapeutic biologicals. Importantly, secretory IgAs produced using our method were functional and could efficiently neutralize Clostridium difficile toxins TcdA and TcdB. These results show that recombinant secretory IgAs can be efficiently produced, thus opening the possibility to use them as therapeutic agents in clinics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Venugopal Bhaskara
- Department of Physiology, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology and Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Maria Trinidad Leal
- Department of Physiology, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology and Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jacqueline Seigner
- Department of Physiology, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology and Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Theresa Friedrich
- Department of Physiology, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology and Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | | | | | - Laura Stangl
- Department of Physiology, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology and Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Katharina Hammel
- Department for Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mario Rothbauer
- Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, Faculty of Technical Chemistry, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Herwig Moll
- Department of Physiology, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology and Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Ertl
- Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, Faculty of Technical Chemistry, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Rainer Hahn
- Department for Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Anton Bauer
- Department of Physiology, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology and Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; The Antibody Lab GmbH, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Emilio Casanova
- Department of Physiology, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology and Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Ding M, Shen L, Xiao L, Liu X, Hu J. A cell line development strategy to improve a bispecific antibody expression purity in CHO cells. Biochem Eng J 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2020.107857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
37
|
Lao-Gonzalez T, Bueno-Soler A, Duran-Hernandez A, Sosa-Aguiar K, Hinojosa-Puerta LE, Hernandez-Garcia T, de la Luz-Hernandez KR, Palacios-Oliva J, Boggiano-Ayo T. Screening and selection strategy for the establishment of biosimilar to trastuzumab-expressing CHO-K1 cell lines. AMB Express 2021; 11:1. [PMID: 33389203 PMCID: PMC7778674 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-020-01157-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The high prices of biopharmaceuticals or biologics used in the treatment of many diseases limit the access of patients to these novel therapies. One example is the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab, successfully used for breast cancer treatment. An economic alternative is the generation of biosimilars to these expensive biopharmaceuticals. Since antibody therapies may require large doses over a long period of time, robust platforms and strategies for cell line development are essential for the generation of recombinant cell lines with higher levels of expression. Here, we obtained trastuzumab-expressing CHO-K1 cells through a screening and selection strategy that combined the use of host cells pre-adapted to protein-free media and suspension culture and lentiviral vectors. The results demonstrated that the early screening strategy obtained recombinant CHO-K1 cell populations with higher enrichment of IgG-expressing cells. Moreover, the measurement of intracellular heavy chain polypeptide by flow cytometry was a useful metric to characterize the homogeneity of cell population, and our results suggest this could be used to predict the expression levels of monoclonal antibodies in early stages of cell line development. Additionally, we propose an approach using 25 cm2 T-flasks in suspension and shaking culture conditions as a screening tool to identify high producing cell lines. Finally, trastuzumab-expressing CHO-K1 clones were generated and characterized by batch culture, and preliminary results related to HER2-recognition capacity were successful. Further optimization of elements such as gene optimization, vector selection, type of amplification/selection system, cell culture media composition, in combination with this strategy will allow obtaining high producing clones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thailin Lao-Gonzalez
- Process Development Direction, Center of Molecular Immunology, Playa, Havana, 11600 Cuba
- Animal Biotechnology Division, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Playa, Havana, 10600 Cuba
| | - Alexi Bueno-Soler
- Process Development Direction, Center of Molecular Immunology, Playa, Havana, 11600 Cuba
| | | | - Katya Sosa-Aguiar
- Immunotherapy Direction, Center of Molecular Immunology, Playa, 11600 Havana, Cuba
| | - Luis Eduardo Hinojosa-Puerta
- Process Development Direction, Center of Molecular Immunology, Playa, Havana, 11600 Cuba
- CIMAB S. A, Playa, 11600 Havana, Cuba
| | - Tays Hernandez-Garcia
- Process Development Direction, Center of Molecular Immunology, Playa, Havana, 11600 Cuba
| | | | - Julio Palacios-Oliva
- Process Development Direction, Center of Molecular Immunology, Playa, Havana, 11600 Cuba
| | - Tammy Boggiano-Ayo
- Process Development Direction, Center of Molecular Immunology, Playa, Havana, 11600 Cuba
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Eisenhut P, Mebrahtu A, Moradi Barzadd M, Thalén N, Klanert G, Weinguny M, Sandegren A, Su C, Hatton D, Borth N, Rockberg J. Systematic use of synthetic 5'-UTR RNA structures to tune protein translation improves yield and quality of complex proteins in mammalian cell factories. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:e119. [PMID: 33051690 PMCID: PMC7672427 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Predictably regulating protein expression levels to improve recombinant protein production has become an important tool, but is still rarely applied to engineer mammalian cells. We therefore sought to set-up an easy-to-implement toolbox to facilitate fast and reliable regulation of protein expression in mammalian cells by introducing defined RNA hairpins, termed 'regulation elements (RgE)', in the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) to impact translation efficiency. RgEs varying in thermodynamic stability, GC-content and position were added to the 5'-UTR of a fluorescent reporter gene. Predictable translation dosage over two orders of magnitude in mammalian cell lines of hamster and human origin was confirmed by flow cytometry. Tuning heavy chain expression of an IgG with the RgEs to various levels eventually resulted in up to 3.5-fold increased titers and fewer IgG aggregates and fragments in CHO cells. Co-expression of a therapeutic Arylsulfatase-A with RgE-tuned levels of the required helper factor SUMF1 demonstrated that the maximum specific sulfatase activity was already attained at lower SUMF1 expression levels, while specific production rates steadily decreased with increasing helper expression. In summary, we show that defined 5'-UTR RNA-structures represent a valid tool to systematically tune protein expression levels in mammalian cells and eventually help to optimize recombinant protein expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Eisenhut
- ACIB Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Vienna 1190, Austria
| | - Aman Mebrahtu
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Protein Science, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mona Moradi Barzadd
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Protein Science, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niklas Thalén
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Protein Science, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gerald Klanert
- ACIB Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Marcus Weinguny
- ACIB Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Vienna 1190, Austria
| | - Anna Sandegren
- Affibody Medical AB, Scheeles väg 2, SE-171 65 Solna, Sweden
| | - Chao Su
- SOBI AB, Tomtebodavägen 23A, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Diane Hatton
- AstraZeneca, Biopharmaceutical Development, Milstein Building, Granta Park, Cambridge CB21 6GH, UK
| | - Nicole Borth
- ACIB Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Vienna 1190, Austria
| | - Johan Rockberg
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Protein Science, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Weinguny M, Eisenhut P, Klanert G, Virgolini N, Marx N, Jonsson A, Ivansson D, Lövgren A, Borth N. Random epigenetic modulation of CHO cells by repeated knockdown of DNA methyltransferases increases population diversity and enables sorting of cells with higher production capacities. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:3435-3447. [PMID: 32662873 PMCID: PMC7818401 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells produce a large share of today's biopharmaceuticals. Still, the generation of satisfactory producer cell lines is a tedious undertaking. Recently, it was found that CHO cells, when exposed to new environmental conditions, modify their epigenome, suggesting that cells adapt their gene expression pattern to handle new challenges. The major aim of the present study was to employ artificially induced, random changes in the DNA-methylation pattern of CHO cells to diversify cell populations and consequently increase the finding of cell lines with improved cellular characteristics. To achieve this, DNA methyltransferases and/or the ten-eleven translocation enzymes were downregulated by RNA interference over a time span of ∼16 days. Methylation analysis of the resulting cell pools revealed that the knockdown of DNA methyltransferases was highly effective in randomly demethylating the genome. The same approach, when applied to stable CHO producer cells resulted in (a) an increased productivity diversity in the cell population, and (b) a higher number of outliers within the population, which resulted in higher specific productivity and titer in the sorted cells. These findings suggest that epigenetics play a previously underestimated, but actually important role in defining the overall cellular behavior of production clones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Weinguny
- ACIB—Austrian Centre of Industrial BiotechnologyGrazAustria,Department of BiotechnologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Peter Eisenhut
- ACIB—Austrian Centre of Industrial BiotechnologyGrazAustria,Department of BiotechnologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Gerald Klanert
- ACIB—Austrian Centre of Industrial BiotechnologyGrazAustria
| | | | - Nicolas Marx
- ACIB—Austrian Centre of Industrial BiotechnologyGrazAustria,Department of BiotechnologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | | | | | | | - Nicole Borth
- ACIB—Austrian Centre of Industrial BiotechnologyGrazAustria,Department of BiotechnologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Erasmus JH, Archer J, Fuerte-Stone J, Khandhar AP, Voigt E, Granger B, Bombardi RG, Govero J, Tan Q, Durnell LA, Coler RN, Diamond MS, Crowe JE, Reed SG, Thackray LB, Carnahan RH, Van Hoeven N. Intramuscular Delivery of Replicon RNA Encoding ZIKV-117 Human Monoclonal Antibody Protects against Zika Virus Infection. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2020; 18:402-414. [PMID: 32695842 PMCID: PMC7363633 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics are an effective modality for the treatment of infectious, autoimmune, and cancer-related diseases. However, the discovery, development, and manufacturing processes are complex, resource-consuming activities that preclude the rapid deployment of mAbs in outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases. Given recent advances in nucleic acid delivery technology, it is now possible to deliver exogenous mRNA encoding mAbs for in situ expression following intravenous (i.v.) infusion of lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA. However, the requirement for i.v. administration limits the application to settings where infusion is an option, increasing the cost of treatment. As an alternative strategy, and to enable intramuscular (IM) administration of mRNA-encoded mAbs, we describe a nanostructured lipid carrier for delivery of an alphavirus replicon encoding a previously described highly neutralizing human mAb, ZIKV-117. Using a lethal Zika virus challenge model in mice, our studies show robust protection following alphavirus-driven expression of ZIKV-117 mRNA when given by IM administration as pre-exposure prophylaxis or post-exposure therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jesse H. Erasmus
- Pre-Clinical Vaccine Development, Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- HDT Biocorp, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jacob Archer
- Pre-Clinical Vaccine Development, Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- HDT Biocorp, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jasmine Fuerte-Stone
- Pre-Clinical Vaccine Development, Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Amit P. Khandhar
- Pre-Clinical Vaccine Development, Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- HDT Biocorp, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Emily Voigt
- Pre-Clinical Vaccine Development, Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Brian Granger
- Pre-Clinical Vaccine Development, Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Robin G. Bombardi
- The Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 27232, USA
| | - Jennifer Govero
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Qing Tan
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Lorellin A. Durnell
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Rhea N. Coler
- Pre-Clinical Vaccine Development, Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael S. Diamond
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - James E. Crowe
- The Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 27232, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 27232, USA
- Department of Pathology Microbiology & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 27232, USA
| | - Steven G. Reed
- Pre-Clinical Vaccine Development, Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- HDT Biocorp, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Larissa B. Thackray
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Robert H. Carnahan
- The Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 27232, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 27232, USA
| | - Neal Van Hoeven
- Pre-Clinical Vaccine Development, Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Blanco N, Williams AJ, Tang D, Zhan D, Misaghi S, Kelley RF, Simmons LC. Tailoring translational strength using Kozak sequence variants improves bispecific antibody assembly and reduces product‐related impurities in CHO cells. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:1946-1960. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.27347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Blanco
- Departments of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way South San Francisco California
| | - Ambrose J. Williams
- Departments of Purification DevelopmentGenentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way South San Francisco California
| | - Danming Tang
- Departments of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way South San Francisco California
| | - Dejin Zhan
- Departments of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way South San Francisco California
| | - Shahram Misaghi
- Departments of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way South San Francisco California
| | - Robert F. Kelley
- Departments of Drug DeliveryGenentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way South San Francisco California
| | - Laura C. Simmons
- Departments of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way South San Francisco California
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Ruiz Y, Ramos PL, Soto J, Rodríguez M, Carlos N, Reyes A, Callard D, Sánchez Y, Pujol M, Fuentes A. The M4 insulator, the TM2 matrix attachment region, and the double copy of the heavy chain gene contribute to the enhanced accumulation of the PHB-01 antibody in tobacco plants. Transgenic Res 2020; 29:171-186. [PMID: 31919795 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-019-00187-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The expression of recombinant proteins in plants is a valuable alternative to bioreactors using mammalian cell systems. Ease of scaling, and their inability to host human pathogens, enhance the use of plants to generate complex therapeutic products such as monoclonal antibodies. However, stably transformed plants expressing antibodies normally have a poor accumulation of these proteins that probably arise from the negative positional effects of their flanking chromatin. The induction of boundaries between the transgenes and the surrounding DNA using matrix attachment regions (MAR) and insulator elements may minimize these effects. With the PHB-01 antibody as a model, we demonstrated that the insertion of DNA elements, the TM2 (MAR) and M4 insulator, flanking the transcriptional cassettes that encode the light and heavy chains of the PHB-01 antibody, increased the protein accumulation that remained stable in the first plant progeny. The M4 insulator had a stronger effect than the TM2, with over a twofold increase compared to the standard construction. This effect was probably associated with an enhancer-promoter interference. Moreover, transgenic plants harboring two transcriptional units encoding for the PHB-01 heavy chain combined with both TM2 and M4 elements enhanced the accumulation of the antibody. In summary, the M4 combined with a double transcriptional unit of the heavy chain may be a suitable strategy for potentiating PHB-01 production in tobacco plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoslaine Ruiz
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba.
| | - Pedro Luis Ramos
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
- Department of Phytopathology and Plant Biochemistry, Instituto Biologico, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jeny Soto
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
- Comparative Pathology Department, University of Miami, Miami, USA
| | - Meilyn Rodríguez
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Natacha Carlos
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Aneisi Reyes
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Danay Callard
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Yadira Sánchez
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Merardo Pujol
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Alejandro Fuentes
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
A platform for context-specific genetic engineering of recombinant protein production by CHO cells. J Biotechnol 2020; 312:11-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2020.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
|
44
|
Carver J, Ng D, Zhou M, Ko P, Zhan D, Yim M, Shaw D, Snedecor B, Laird MW, Lang S, Shen A, Hu Z. Maximizing antibody production in a targeted integration host by optimization of subunit gene dosage and position. Biotechnol Prog 2020; 36:e2967. [DOI: 10.1002/btpr.2967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joe Carver
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| | - Domingos Ng
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| | - Michelle Zhou
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| | - Peggy Ko
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| | - Dejin Zhan
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| | - Mandy Yim
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| | - David Shaw
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| | - Brad Snedecor
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| | - Michael W. Laird
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| | - Steven Lang
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| | - Amy Shen
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| | - Zhilan Hu
- Department of Cell CultureGenentech, Inc. South San Francisco California USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Gupta K, Parasnis M, Jain R, Dandekar P. Vector-related stratagems for enhanced monoclonal antibody production in mammalian cells. Biotechnol Adv 2019; 37:107415. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.107415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
|
46
|
High-level expression of biologically active human follicle stimulating hormone in the Chinese hamster ovary cell line by a pair of tricistronic and monocistronic vectors. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219434. [PMID: 31276557 PMCID: PMC6611665 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), produced in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, is widely used for treatment of fertility disorders and is subject to biosimilars development. Cell lines with high specific productivities may simplify the FSH production process. Here, we used our previously established expression system based on vector p1.1 to create new cell lines secreting heterodimeric FSH protein. To this end, we linked open reading frames of both FSH subunits by the wild-type internal ribosome entry site from the encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV IRES). Intact and double-negative for the dihydrofolate reductase CHO cells were stably transfected by the FSH-coding plasmids. Stably transfected intact cells showed higher level of the FSH secretion and were utilized for subsequent methotrexate-driven transgene amplification, which doubled their productivity. The excess of the free α-subunit was corrected by transfecting the cells by the additional p1.1-based plasmid encoding the β-subunit of the FSH. Clonal cell lines obtained secreted mostly the heterodimeric FSH and possessed specific productivities up to 12.3±1.7 pg/cell/day. Candidate clonal cell line C-P1.3-FSH-G4 maintained a constant specific productivity for at least 2 months of culturing without the section pressure. The resulting FSH protein conformed to the international pharmaceutical quality criteria as evidenced by the receptor binding kinetics, distribution pattern of hormone isoforms and biological activity. In conclusion, our expression system offers a simple and cost-effective approach to production of FSH.
Collapse
|
47
|
Talbot NE, Mead EJ, Davies SA, Uddin S, Smales CM. Application of ER Stress Biomarkers to Predict Formulated Monoclonal Antibody Stability. Biotechnol J 2019; 14:e1900024. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201900024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie E. Talbot
- Industrial Biotechnology Centre, School of BiosciencesUniversity of Kent Canterbury CT2 7NJ UK
| | - Emma J. Mead
- Industrial Biotechnology Centre, School of BiosciencesUniversity of Kent Canterbury CT2 7NJ UK
| | - Stephanie A. Davies
- Dosage Form Design & DevelopmentMedImmune Sir Aaron Klug Building, Granta Park Cambridge CB21 6GH UK
| | - Shahid Uddin
- Dosage Form Design & DevelopmentMedImmune Sir Aaron Klug Building, Granta Park Cambridge CB21 6GH UK
| | - C. Mark Smales
- Industrial Biotechnology Centre, School of BiosciencesUniversity of Kent Canterbury CT2 7NJ UK
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Ilina EN, Solopova ON, Balabashin DS, Larina MV, Aliev TK, Grebennikova TV, Losich MA, Zaykova ON, Sveshnikov PG, Dolgikh DA, Kirpichnikov MP. Generation and Characterization of a Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibody Against Rabies Virus. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1068162019010072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
49
|
Kaneyoshi K, Uchiyama K, Onitsuka M, Yamano N, Koga Y, Omasa T. Analysis of intracellular IgG secretion in Chinese hamster ovary cells to improve IgG production. J Biosci Bioeng 2019; 127:107-113. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2018.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
|
50
|
Naderi F, Hashemi M, Bayat H, Mohammadian O, Pourmaleki E, Etemadzadeh MH, Rahimpour A. The Augmenting Effects of the tDNA Insulator on Stable Expression of Monoclonal Antibody in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother 2018; 37:200-206. [DOI: 10.1089/mab.2018.0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Naderi
- Department of Genetics, Tehran Medical Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Hashemi
- Department of Genetics, Tehran Medical Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hadi Bayat
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Omid Mohammadian
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Es'hagh Pourmaleki
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Azam Rahimpour
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|