1
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Sacco SA, McAtee Pereira AG, Trenary I, Smith KD, Betenbaugh MJ, Young JD. Overexpression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ co-activator-1⍺ (PGC-1⍺) in Chinese hamster ovary cells increases oxidative metabolism and IgG productivity. Metab Eng 2023; 79:108-117. [PMID: 37473833 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2023.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are used extensively to produce protein therapeutics, such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), in the biopharmaceutical industry. MAbs are large proteins that are energetically demanding to synthesize and secrete; therefore, high-producing CHO cell lines that are engineered for maximum metabolic efficiency are needed to meet increasing demands for mAb production. Previous studies have identified that high-producing cell lines possess a distinct metabolic phenotype when compared to low-producing cell lines. In particular, it was found that high mAb production is correlated to lactate consumption and elevated TCA cycle flux. We hypothesized that enhancing flux through the mitochondrial TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation would lead to increased mAb productivities and final titers. To test this hypothesis, we overexpressed peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ co-activator-1⍺ (PGC-1⍺), a gene that promotes mitochondrial metabolism, in an IgG-producing parental CHO cell line. Stable cell pools overexpressing PGC-1⍺ exhibited increased oxygen consumption, indicating increased mitochondrial metabolism, as well as increased mAb specific productivity compared to the parental line. We also performed 13C metabolic flux analysis (MFA) to quantify how PGC-1⍺ overexpression alters intracellular metabolic fluxes, revealing not only increased TCA cycle flux, but global upregulation of cellular metabolic activity. This study demonstrates the potential of rationally engineering the metabolism of industrial cell lines to improve overall mAb productivity and to increase the abundance of high-producing clones in stable cell pools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Sacco
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Irina Trenary
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kevin D Smith
- Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing Sciences, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Michael J Betenbaugh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jamey D Young
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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2
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Milne JJ. Mixed-Mode Chromatography and Its Role in Monoclonal Antibody Purification. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2699:15-29. [PMID: 37646991 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3362-5_2] [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] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
As the biopharmaceutical industry matures and embraces process intensification methodologies allied to the emergence of newer personalized medicines, a key constant is the regulatory need to purify products that satisfy the criteria of safety, quality, and efficacy in each batch of released product destined for clinical use. Downstream processing operations and in particular chromatographic separations continue to play a key role in manufacturing strategies with the industry being well served by commercially available resins that provide different options to purify a particular target molecule of interest. In recent years, mixed-mode chromatography, a technique based on multimode interactions between ligands and proteins, had attracted much attention. This short review will discuss the concept and benefit of mixed-mode chromatography in purification strategies and specifically look at its application in the purification of IgG subtype monoclonal antibodies, a key product class in today's industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Joseph Milne
- National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland.
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3
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Milne JJ. Scale-Up of Protein Purification: Downstream Processing Issues. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2699:61-75. [PMID: 37646994 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3362-5_5] [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] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale chromatography operations continue to occupy the central position in the overall strategy for downstream processing and purification of therapeutic protein products for human use. As the biopharmaceutical industry looks forward to embracing new therapeutic modalities such as viral vector-mediated gene therapy, it is becoming evident that chromatographic separations will be also be crucial for success in that discipline. The current industry focus on cell culture intensification strategies that can result in increased process efficiency and lower cost of goods is presenting challenges to the robustness and economics of chromatography processes. To ensure robust and reproducible commercial manufacturing strategies, there is always a mandate to increase the scale of chromatography unit operations that are typically developed and optimized in small-scale development trials. This chapter discusses the key factors in typical chromatography operations that need to be carefully considered and modeled during the process scale-up phase in order to maintain the purity, yield, and quality of a product purified at smaller scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Joseph Milne
- National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland.
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4
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Sacco SA, Tuckowski AM, Trenary I, Kraft L, Betenbaugh MJ, Young JD, Smith KD. Attenuation of glutamine synthetase selection marker improves product titer and reduces glutamine overflow in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Biotechnol Bioeng 2022; 119:1712-1727. [PMID: 35312045 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28084] [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: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The glutamine synthetase (GS) expression system is commonly used to ensure stable transgene integration and amplification in CHO host lines. Transfected cell populations are typically grown in the presence of the GS inhibitor, methionine sulfoximine (MSX), to further select for increased transgene copy number. However, high levels of GS activity produce excess glutamine. We hypothesized that attenuating the GS promoter while keeping the strong IgG promoter on the GS-IgG expression vector would result in a more efficient cellular metabolic phenotype. Herein, we characterized CHO cell lines expressing GS from either an attenuated promoter or an SV40 promoter and selected with/without MSX. CHO cells with the attenuated GS promoter had higher IgG specific productivity and lower glutamine production compared to cells with SV40-driven GS expression. Selection with MSX increased both specific productivity and glutamine production, regardless of GS promoter strength. 13 C metabolic flux analysis (MFA) was performed to further assess metabolic differences between these cell lines. Interestingly, central carbon metabolism was unaltered by the attenuated GS promoter while the fate of glutamate and glutamine varied depending on promoter strength and selection conditions. This study highlights the ability to optimize the GS expression system to improve IgG production and reduce wasteful glutamine overflow, without significantly altering central metabolism. Additionally, a detailed supplementary analysis of two "lactate runaway" reactors provides insight into the poorly understood phenomenon of excess lactate production by some CHO cell cultures. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Sacco
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Angela M Tuckowski
- Biotherapeutics Development, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Irina Trenary
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lauren Kraft
- Biotherapeutics Development, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Michael J Betenbaugh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jamey D Young
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kevin D Smith
- Biotherapeutics Development, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA.,Asimov, 1325 Boylston St, Boston, MA, 02215
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5
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Kirsch BJ, Bennun SV, Mendez A, Johnson AS, Wang H, Qiu H, Li N, Lawrence SM, Bak H, Betenbaugh MJ. Metabolic Analysis of the Asparagine and Glutamine Dynamics in an Industrial CHO Fed-Batch Process. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 119:807-819. [PMID: 34786689 PMCID: PMC9305493 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines are grown in cultures with varying asparagine and glutamine concentrations, but further study is needed to characterize the interplay between these amino acids. By following 13C‐glucose, 13C‐glutamine, and 13C‐asparagine tracers using metabolic flux analysis (MFA), CHO cell metabolism was characterized in an industrially relevant fed‐batch process under glutamine supplemented and low glutamine conditions during early and late exponential growth. For both conditions MFA revealed glucose as the primary carbon source to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle followed by glutamine and asparagine as secondary sources. Early exponential phase CHO cells prefer glutamine over asparagine to support the TCA cycle under the glutamine supplemented condition, while asparagine was critical for TCA activity for the low glutamine condition. Overall TCA fluxes were similar for both conditions due to the trade‐offs associated with reliance on glutamine and/or asparagine. However, glutamine supplementation increased fluxes to alanine, lactate and enrichment of glutathione, N‐acetyl‐glucosamine and pyrimidine‐containing‐molecules. The late exponential phase exhibited reduced central carbon metabolism dominated by glucose, while lactate reincorporation and aspartate uptake were preferred over glutamine and asparagine. These 13C studies demonstrate that metabolic flux is process time dependent and can be modulated by varying feed composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian James Kirsch
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Sandra V Bennun
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Preclinical Manufacturing and Process Development Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Adam Mendez
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Amy S Johnson
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Preclinical Manufacturing and Process Development Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Hongxia Wang
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Analytical Chemistry Group, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Haibo Qiu
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Analytical Chemistry Group, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Ning Li
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Analytical Chemistry Group, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Shawn M Lawrence
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Preclinical Manufacturing and Process Development Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Hanne Bak
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Preclinical Manufacturing and Process Development Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Michael J Betenbaugh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
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6
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Schmidt C, Wehsling M, Le Mignon M, Wille G, Rey Y, Schnellbaecher A, Zabezhinsky D, Fischer M, Zimmer A. Lactoyl leucine and isoleucine are bioavailable alternatives for canonical amino acids in cell culture media. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:3395-3408. [PMID: 33738790 PMCID: PMC8453549 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27755] [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: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Increasing demands for protein-based therapeutics such as monoclonal antibodies, fusion proteins, bispecific molecules, and antibody fragments require researchers to constantly find innovative solutions. To increase yields and decrease costs of next generation bioprocesses, highly concentrated cell culture media formulations are developed but often limited by the low solubility of amino acids such as tyrosine, cystine, leucine, and isoleucine, in particular at physiological pH. This study sought to investigate highly soluble and bioavailable derivatives of leucine and isoleucine that are applicable for fed-batch processes. N-lactoyl-leucine and N-lactoyl-isoleucine sodium salts were tested in cell culture media and proved to be beneficial to increase the overall solubility of cell culture media formulations. These modified amino acids proved to be bioavailable for various Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and were suitable for replacement of canonical amino acids in cell culture feeds. The quality of the final recombinant protein was studied in bioprocesses using the derivatives, and the mechanism of cleavage was investigated in CHO cells. Altogether, both N-lactoyl amino acids represent an advantageous alternative to canonical amino acids to develop highly concentrated cell culture media formulations to support next generation bioprocesses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gregor Wille
- Merck Life Science, Process Development, Buchs, Switzerland
| | - Yannick Rey
- Merck Life Science, Process Development, Buchs, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Markus Fischer
- Merck Life Science, Process Development, Buchs, Switzerland
| | - Aline Zimmer
- Merck Life Science, Upstream R&D, Darmstadt, Germany
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7
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Simultaneous Monitoring and Comparison of Multiple Product Quality Attributes for Cell Culture Processes at Different Scales Using a LC/MS/MS Based Multi-Attribute Method. J Pharm Sci 2020; 109:3319-3329. [DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2020.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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8
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Bulté DB, Palomares LA, Parra CG, Martínez JA, Contreras MA, Noriega LG, Ramírez OT. Overexpression of the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier reduces lactate production and increases recombinant protein productivity in CHO cells. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:2633-2647. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.27439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dubhe B. Bulté
- Instituto de BiotecnologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México Morelos Mexico
| | - Laura A. Palomares
- Instituto de BiotecnologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México Morelos Mexico
| | - Carolina Gómez Parra
- Instituto de BiotecnologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México Morelos Mexico
| | - Juan Andrés Martínez
- Instituto de BiotecnologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México Morelos Mexico
| | - Martha A. Contreras
- Instituto de BiotecnologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México Morelos Mexico
| | - Lilia G. Noriega
- Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán Mexico
| | - Octavio T. Ramírez
- Instituto de BiotecnologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México Morelos Mexico
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9
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O’Mara B, Gao Z, Kuruganti M, Mallett R, Nayar G, Smith L, Meyer JD, Therriault J, Miller C, Cisney J, Fann J. Impact of depth filtration on disulfide bond reduction during downstream processing of monoclonal antibodies from CHO cell cultures. Biotechnol Bioeng 2019; 116:1669-1683. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.26964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brian O’Mara
- BioProcess DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb Co.Seattle Washington
| | - Zhong‐Hua Gao
- BioProcess DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb Co.Seattle Washington
| | - Manju Kuruganti
- BioProcess DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb Co.Seattle Washington
| | - Robert Mallett
- BioProcess DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb Co.Seattle Washington
| | - Gautam Nayar
- BioProcess DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb Co.Seattle Washington
| | - Laura Smith
- BioProcess DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb Co.Seattle Washington
| | - Jeffrey D. Meyer
- BioProcess DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb Co.Seattle Washington
| | - Jon Therriault
- BioProcess DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb Co.Seattle Washington
| | - Cameron Miller
- BioProcess DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb Co.Seattle Washington
| | - John Cisney
- BioProcess DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb Co.Seattle Washington
| | - John Fann
- BioProcess DevelopmentBristol‐Myers Squibb Co.Seattle Washington
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10
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Biochemical and metabolic engineering approaches to enhance production of therapeutic proteins in animal cell cultures. Biochem Eng J 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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11
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McAtee Pereira AG, Walther JL, Hollenbach M, Young JD. 13 C Flux Analysis Reveals that Rebalancing Medium Amino Acid Composition can Reduce Ammonia Production while Preserving Central Carbon Metabolism of CHO Cell Cultures. Biotechnol J 2018; 13:e1700518. [PMID: 29405605 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201700518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
13 C metabolic flux analysis (MFA) provides a rigorous approach to quantify intracellular metabolism of industrial cell lines. In this study, 13 C MFA was used to characterize the metabolic response of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to a novel medium variant designed to reduce ammonia production. Ammonia inhibits growth and viability of CHO cell cultures, alters glycosylation of recombinant proteins, and enhances product degradation. Ammonia production was reduced by manipulating the amino acid composition of the culture medium; specifically, glutamine, glutamate, asparagine, aspartate, and serine levels were adjusted. Parallel 13 C flux analysis experiments determined that, while ammonia production decreased by roughly 40%, CHO cell metabolic phenotype, growth, viability, and monoclonal antibody (mAb) titer were not significantly altered by the changes in media composition. This study illustrates how 13 C flux analysis can be applied to assess the metabolic effects of media manipulations on mammalian cell cultures. The analysis revealed that adjusting the amino acid composition of CHO cell culture media can effectively reduce ammonia production while preserving fluxes throughout central carbon metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison G McAtee Pereira
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jason L Walther
- Bioprocess Development, Sanofi, 02142, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Myles Hollenbach
- Bioprocess Development, Sanofi, 02142, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jamey D Young
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, 37235, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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12
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Radhakrishnan D, Robinson AS, Ogunnaike BA. Controlling the Glycosylation Profile in mAbs Using Time-Dependent Media Supplementation. Antibodies (Basel) 2017; 7:E1. [PMID: 31544854 PMCID: PMC6698858 DOI: 10.3390/antib7010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In order to meet desired drug product quality targets, the glycosylation profile of biotherapeutics such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) must be maintained consistently during manufacturing. Achieving consistent glycan distribution profiles requires identifying factors that influence glycosylation, and manipulating them appropriately via well-designed control strategies. Now, the cell culture media supplement, MnCl2, is known to alter the glycosylation profile in mAbs generally, but its effect, particularly when introduced at different stages during cell growth, has yet to be investigated and quantified. In this study, we evaluate the effect of time-dependent addition of MnCl2 on the glycan profile quantitatively, using factorial design experiments. Our results show that MnCl2 addition during the lag and exponential phases affects the glycan profile significantly more than stationary phase supplementation does. Also, using a novel computational technique, we identify various combinations of glycan species that are affected by this dynamic media supplementation scheme, and quantify the effects mathematically. Our experiments demonstrate the importance of taking into consideration the time of addition of these trace supplements, not just their concentrations, and our computational analysis provides insight into what supplements to add, when, and how much, in order to induce desired changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devesh Radhakrishnan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
| | - Anne S Robinson
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA.
| | - Babatunde A Ogunnaike
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
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13
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Karengera E, Durocher Y, De Crescenzo G, Henry O. Combining metabolic and process engineering strategies to improve recombinant glycoprotein production and quality. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 101:7837-7851. [PMID: 28924963 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8513-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Increasing recombinant protein production while ensuring a high and consistent protein quality remains a challenge in mammalian cell culture process development. In this work, we combined a nutrient substitution approach with a metabolic engineering strategy that improves glucose utilization efficiency. This combination allowed us to tackle both lactate and ammonia accumulation and investigate on potential synergistic effects on protein production and quality. To this end, HEK293 cells overexpressing the pyruvate yeast carboxylase (PYC2) and their parental cells, both stably producing the therapeutic glycoprotein interferon α2b (IFNα2b), were cultured in media deprived of glutamine but containing chosen substitutes. Among the tested substitutes, pyruvate led to the best improvement in growth (integral of viable cell density) for both cell lines in batch cultures, whereas the culture of PYC2 cells without neither glutamine nor any substitute displayed surprisingly enhanced IFNα2b production. The drastic reduction in both lactate and ammonia in the cultures translated into extended high viability conditions and an increase in recombinant protein titer by up to 47% for the parental cells and the PYC2 cells. Product characterization performed by surface plasmon resonance biosensing using Sambucus nigra (SNA) lectin revealed that the increase in yield was however accompanied by a reduction in the degree of sialylation of the product. Supplementing cultures with glycosylation precursors and a cofactor were effective at counterbalancing the lack of glutamine and allowed improvement in IFNα2b quality as evaluated by lectin affinity. Our study provides a strategy to reconcile protein productivity and quality and highlights the advantages of PYC2-overexpressing cells in glutamine-free conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Karengera
- Department of Chemical Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal, P.O. Box 6079, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Yves Durocher
- Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Canada
| | - Gregory De Crescenzo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal, P.O. Box 6079, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Olivier Henry
- Department of Chemical Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal, P.O. Box 6079, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3A7, Canada.
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14
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Richelle A, Lewis NE. Improvements in protein production in mammalian cells from targeted metabolic engineering. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 6:1-6. [PMID: 29104947 DOI: 10.1016/j.coisb.2017.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Bioprocess optimization has yielded powerful clones for biotherapeutic production. However, new genomic technologies allow more targeted approaches to cell line development. Here we review efforts to enhance protein production in mammalian cells through metabolic engineering. Most efforts aimed to reduce toxic byproducts accumulation to enhance protein productivity. However, recent work highlights the possibility of regulating other desirable traits (e.g., apoptosis and glycosylation) by targeting central metabolism since these processes are interconnected. Therefore, as we further detail the pathways underlying cell growth and protein production and deploy diverse algorithms for their analysis, opportunities will arise to move beyond simple cell line designs and facilitate cell engineering strategies with complex combinations of genes that together underlie a phenotype of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Richelle
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Nathan E Lewis
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
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15
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Kent JA, Bommaraju TV, Barnicki SD, Kyung YS, Zhang GG. Industrial Production of Therapeutic Proteins: Cell Lines, Cell Culture, and Purification. HANDBOOK OF INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2017. [PMCID: PMC7121293 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-52287-6_29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
A central pillar of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries continues to be the development of biological drug products manufactured from engineered mammalian cell lines. Since the hugely successful launch of human tissue plasminogen activator in 1987 and erythropoietin in 1988, the biopharmaceutical market has grown immensely. In 2014, biotherapeutics made up a significant portion of global drug sales as 7 of the top 10 and 21 of top 50 selling pharmaceuticals in the world were biologics with over US$100 billion in global sales (Table 1, [1]).
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16
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Application of 13C flux analysis to identify high-productivity CHO metabolic phenotypes. Metab Eng 2017; 43:218-225. [PMID: 28122259 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2017.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Revised: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Industrial bioprocesses place high demands on the energy metabolism of host cells to meet biosynthetic requirements for maximal protein expression. Identifying metabolic phenotypes that promote high expression is therefore a major goal of the biotech industry. We conducted a series of 13C flux analysis studies to examine the metabolic response to IgG expression during early stationary phase of CHO cell cultures grown in 3L fed-batch bioreactors. We examined eight clones expressing four different IgGs and compared with three non-expressing host-cell controls. Some clones were genetically manipulated to be apoptosis-resistant by expressing Bcl-2Δ, which correlated with increased IgG production and elevated glucose metabolism. The metabolic phenotypes of the non-expressing, IgG-expressing, and Bcl-2Δ/IgG-expressing clones were fully segregated by hierarchical clustering analysis. Lactate consumption and citric acid cycle fluxes were most strongly associated with specific IgG productivity. These studies indicate that enhanced oxidative metabolism is a characteristic of high-producing CHO cell lines.
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17
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Abstract
Separation science continues to occupy the central position in the overall strategy for the downstream processing and purification of therapeutic protein products for human use. Increasing product titers from mammalian cell culture and new emerging classes of biopharmaceuticals has presented a challenge to the industry to identify ways of improving the robustness and economics of chromatography processes. In commercial manufacturing, there is always a need to increase the scale of the chromatography operations which are typically developed and optimized in small-scale laboratory experiments. This review discusses the key factors in the chromatography process that need to be considered as the scale of the purification step is increased in order to maintain the purity and integrity of the product purified at smaller scale.
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18
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Lewis AM, Croughan WD, Aranibar N, Lee AG, Warrack B, Abu-Absi NR, Patel R, Drew B, Borys MC, Reily MD, Li ZJ. Understanding and Controlling Sialylation in a CHO Fc-Fusion Process. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157111. [PMID: 27310468 PMCID: PMC4911072 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) bioprocess, where the product is a sialylated Fc-fusion protein, was operated at pilot and manufacturing scale and significant variation of sialylation level was observed. In order to more tightly control glycosylation profiles, we sought to identify the cause of variability. Untargeted metabolomics and transcriptomics methods were applied to select samples from the large scale runs. Lower sialylation was correlated with elevated mannose levels, a shift in glucose metabolism, and increased oxidative stress response. Using a 5-L scale model operated with a reduced dissolved oxygen set point, we were able to reproduce the phenotypic profiles observed at manufacturing scale including lower sialylation, higher lactate and lower ammonia levels. Targeted transcriptomics and metabolomics confirmed that reduced oxygen levels resulted in increased mannose levels, a shift towards glycolysis, and increased oxidative stress response similar to the manufacturing scale. Finally, we propose a biological mechanism linking large scale operation and sialylation variation. Oxidative stress results from gas transfer limitations at large scale and the presence of oxygen dead-zones inducing upregulation of glycolysis and mannose biosynthesis, and downregulation of hexosamine biosynthesis and acetyl-CoA formation. The lower flux through the hexosamine pathway and reduced intracellular pools of acetyl-CoA led to reduced formation of N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylneuraminic acid, both key building blocks of N-glycan structures. This study reports for the first time a link between oxidative stress and mammalian protein sialyation. In this study, process, analytical, metabolomic, and transcriptomic data at manufacturing, pilot, and laboratory scales were taken together to develop a systems level understanding of the process and identify oxygen limitation as the root cause of glycosylation variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Lewis
- Biologics Development, Global Manufacturing and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - William D. Croughan
- Biologics Development, Global Manufacturing and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, United States of America
| | - Nelly Aranibar
- Research and Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ, United States of America
| | - Alison G. Lee
- Biologics Development, Global Manufacturing and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, United States of America
| | - Bethanne Warrack
- Research and Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ, United States of America
| | - Nicholas R. Abu-Absi
- Biologics Development, Global Manufacturing and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, United States of America
| | - Rutva Patel
- Biologics Development, Global Manufacturing and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, United States of America
| | - Barry Drew
- Biologics Development, Global Manufacturing and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, United States of America
| | - Michael C. Borys
- Biologics Development, Global Manufacturing and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, United States of America
| | - Michael D. Reily
- Research and Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ, United States of America
| | - Zheng Jian Li
- Biologics Development, Global Manufacturing and Supply, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Devens, MA, United States of America
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19
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Sha S, Agarabi C, Brorson K, Lee DY, Yoon S. N-Glycosylation Design and Control of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies. Trends Biotechnol 2016; 34:835-846. [PMID: 27016033 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2016.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Revised: 02/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The N-linked glycan profiles on recombinant monoclonal antibody therapeutics significantly affect antibody biological functions and are largely determined by host cell genotypes and culture conditions. A key step in bioprocess development for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) involves optimization and control of N-glycan profiles. With pressure from pricing and biosimilars looming, more efficient and effective approaches are sought in the field of glycoengineering. Metabolic studies and mathematical modeling are two such approaches that optimize bioprocesses by better understanding and predicting glycosylation. In this review, we summarize a group of strategies currently used for glycan profile modulation and control. Metabolic analysis and mathematical modeling are then explored with an emphasis on how these two techniques can be utilized to advance glycoengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sha Sha
- Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01850, USA
| | - Cyrus Agarabi
- Division of Biotechnology Review and Research II, Office of Biotechnology Products, OPQ, CDER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Kurt Brorson
- Division of Biotechnology Review and Research II, Office of Biotechnology Products, OPQ, CDER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Dong-Yup Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive, Singapore 117585, Singapore
| | - Seongkyu Yoon
- Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01850, USA.
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20
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McAtee AG, Jazmin LJ, Young JD. Application of isotope labeling experiments and 13C flux analysis to enable rational pathway engineering. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2015; 36:50-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2015.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Revised: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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21
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Brühlmann D, Jordan M, Hemberger J, Sauer M, Stettler M, Broly H. Tailoring recombinant protein quality by rational media design. Biotechnol Prog 2015; 31:615-29. [DOI: 10.1002/btpr.2089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Revised: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David Brühlmann
- Merck Serono SA, Corsier-sur-Vevey, Biotech Process Sciences, Zone Industrielle B; CH-1809 Fenil-sur-Corsier Switzerland
- Dept. of Biotechnology and Biophysics; Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Biozentrum; Am Hubland DE-97074 Würzburg Germany
| | - Martin Jordan
- Merck Serono SA, Corsier-sur-Vevey, Biotech Process Sciences, Zone Industrielle B; CH-1809 Fenil-sur-Corsier Switzerland
| | - Jürgen Hemberger
- Inst. for Biochemical Engineering and Analytics; University of Applied Sciences Giessen; Wiesenstrasse 14, DE-35390 Giessen Germany
| | - Markus Sauer
- Dept. of Biotechnology and Biophysics; Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Biozentrum; Am Hubland DE-97074 Würzburg Germany
| | - Matthieu Stettler
- Merck Serono SA, Corsier-sur-Vevey, Biotech Process Sciences, Zone Industrielle B; CH-1809 Fenil-sur-Corsier Switzerland
| | - Hervé Broly
- Merck Serono SA, Corsier-sur-Vevey, Biotech Process Sciences, Zone Industrielle B; CH-1809 Fenil-sur-Corsier Switzerland
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22
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Vishwanathan N, Yongky A, Johnson KC, Fu HY, Jacob NM, Le H, Yusufi FNK, Lee DY, Hu WS. Global insights into the Chinese hamster and CHO cell transcriptomes. Biotechnol Bioeng 2015; 112:965-76. [PMID: 25450749 DOI: 10.1002/bit.25513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Revised: 10/26/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptomics is increasingly being used on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to unveil physiological insights related to their performance during production processes. The rich transcriptome data can be exploited to provide impetus for systems investigation such as modeling the central carbon metabolism or glycosylation pathways, or even building genome-scale models. To harness the power of transcriptome assays, we assembled and annotated a set of RNA-Seq data from multiple CHO cell lines and Chinese hamster tissues, and constructed a DNA microarray. The identity of genes involved in major functional pathways and their transcript levels generated in this study will serve as a reference for future studies employing kinetic models. In particular, the data on glycolysis and glycosylation pathways indicate that the variability of gene expression level among different cell lines and tissues may contribute to their differences in metabolism and glycosylation patterns. Thereby, these insights can potentially lead to opportunities for cell engineering. This repertoire of transcriptome data also enables the identification of potential sequence variants in cell lines and allows tracing of cell lineages. Overall the study is an illustration of the potential benefit of RNA-Seq that is yet to be exploited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandita Vishwanathan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue S.E., Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455-0132
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23
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Klein T, Niklas J, Heinzle E. Engineering the supply chain for protein production/secretion in yeasts and mammalian cells. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 42:453-64. [PMID: 25561318 DOI: 10.1007/s10295-014-1569-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 12/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic bottlenecks play an increasing role in yeasts and mammalian cells applied for high-performance production of proteins, particularly of pharmaceutical ones that require complex posttranslational modifications. We review the present status and developments focusing on the rational metabolic engineering of such cells to optimize the supply chain for building blocks and energy. Methods comprise selection of beneficial genetic modifications, rational design of media and feeding strategies. Design of better producer cells based on whole genome-wide metabolic network analysis becomes increasingly possible. High-resolution methods of metabolic flux analysis for the complex networks in these compartmented cells are increasingly available. We discuss phenomena that are common to both types of organisms but also those that are different with respect to the supply chain for the production and secretion of pharmaceutical proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Klein
- Research Area Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Engineering, Vienna University of Technology, Gumpendorfer Strasse 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria
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24
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Young JD. (13)C metabolic flux analysis of recombinant expression hosts. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2014; 30:238-45. [PMID: 25456032 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2014.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2014] [Revised: 10/10/2014] [Accepted: 10/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Identifying host cell metabolic phenotypes that promote high recombinant protein titer is a major goal of the biotech industry. (13)C metabolic flux analysis (MFA) provides a rigorous approach to quantify these metabolic phenotypes by applying isotope tracers to map the flow of carbon through intracellular metabolic pathways. Recent advances in tracer theory and measurements are enabling more information to be extracted from (13)C labeling experiments. Sustained development of publicly available software tools and standardization of experimental workflows is simultaneously encouraging increased adoption of (13)C MFA within the biotech research community. A number of recent (13)C MFA studies have identified increased citric acid cycle and pentose phosphate pathway fluxes as consistent markers of high recombinant protein expression, both in mammalian and microbial hosts. Further work is needed to determine whether redirecting flux into these pathways can effectively enhance protein titers while maintaining acceptable glycan profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamey D Young
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, PMB 351604, Nashville, TN 37235-1604, USA; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, PMB 351604, Nashville, TN 37235-1604, USA.
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25
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Pais DAM, Carrondo MJT, Alves PM, Teixeira AP. Towards real-time monitoring of therapeutic protein quality in mammalian cell processes. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2014; 30:161-7. [PMID: 25035940 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2014.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Revised: 06/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Protein biopharmaceuticals are mainly produced in mammalian cells which can perform human-like post-translational modifications crucial to protein function. Subject to high variability, these critical quality attributes should be monitored and controlled during the manufacturing process. However, the large time requirements for analysis have been a bottleneck. Recent advances towards automated and high-throughput techniques, combined with multivariate data analysis, are increasingly providing relevant process knowledge in near real-time. New or re-designed analytical tools suited for monitoring product quality are starting to fit in this landscape. Moreover, omics technologies are expanding our understanding of how intracellular mechanisms and the extracellular milieu influence protein quality and quantity, reshaping the adoption of Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and Quality by Design (QbD) in the biopharmaceutical industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A M Pais
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Manuel J T Carrondo
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Paula M Alves
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana P Teixeira
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
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