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Dekevic G, Tertel T, Tasto L, Schmidt D, Giebel B, Czermak P, Salzig D. A Bioreactor-Based Yellow Fever Virus-like Particle Production Process with Integrated Process Analytical Technology Based on Transient Transfection. Viruses 2023; 15:2013. [PMID: 37896790 PMCID: PMC10612092 DOI: 10.3390/v15102013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Yellow Fever (YF) is a severe disease that, while preventable through vaccination, lacks rapid intervention options for those already infected. There is an urgent need for passive immunization techniques using YF-virus-like particles (YF-VLPs). To address this, we successfully established a bioreactor-based production process for YF-VLPs, leveraging transient transfection and integrating Process Analytical Technology. A cornerstone of this approach was the optimization of plasmid DNA (pDNA) production to a yield of 11 mg/L using design of experiments. Glucose, NaCl, yeast extract, and a phosphate buffer showed significant influence on specific pDNA yield. The preliminary work for VLP-production in bioreactor showed adjustments to the HEK cell density, the polyplex formation duration, and medium exchanges effectively elevated transfection efficiencies. The additive Pluronic F-68 was neutral in its effects, and anti-clumping agents (ACA) adversely affected the transfection process. Finally, we established the stirred-tank bioreactor process with integrated dielectric spectroscopy, which gave real-time insight in relevant process steps, e.g., cell growth, polyplex uptake, and harvest time. We confirmed the presence and integrity of YF-VLP via Western blot, imaging flow cytometry measurement, and transmission electron microscopy. The YF-VLP production process can serve as a platform to produce VLPs as passive immunizing agents against other neglected tropical diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Dekevic
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (G.D.); (L.T.); (D.S.); (P.C.)
| | - Tobias Tertel
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstrasse 179, 45147 Essen, Germany; (T.T.); (B.G.)
| | - Lars Tasto
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (G.D.); (L.T.); (D.S.); (P.C.)
| | - Deborah Schmidt
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (G.D.); (L.T.); (D.S.); (P.C.)
| | - Bernd Giebel
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstrasse 179, 45147 Essen, Germany; (T.T.); (B.G.)
| | - Peter Czermak
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (G.D.); (L.T.); (D.S.); (P.C.)
- Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Denise Salzig
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (G.D.); (L.T.); (D.S.); (P.C.)
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Hausig-Punke F, Dekevic G, Sobotta FH, Solomun JI, Richter F, Salzig D, Traeger A, Brendel JC. Efficient Transfection via an Unexpected Mechanism by Near Neutral Polypiperazines with Tailored Response to Endosomal pH. Macromol Biosci 2023; 23:e2200517. [PMID: 36655803 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202200517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Cationic pH-responsive polymers promise to overcome critical challenges in cellular delivery. Ideally, the polymers become selectively charged along the endosomal pathway disturbing only the local membrane and avoiding unintended interactions or cytotoxic side effects at physiological conditions. Polypiperazines represent a novel, hydrophilic class of pH-responsive polymers whose response can be tuned within the relevant pH range (5-7.4). The authors discovered that the polypiperazines are effectively binding plasmid DNA (pDNA) and demonstrate high efficiency in transfection. By design of experiments (DoE), a wide parameter space (pDNA and polymer concentration) is screened to identify the range of effective concentrations for transfection. An isopropyl modified polypiperazine is highly efficient over a wide range of concentrations outperforming linear polyethylenimine (l-PEI, 25 kDa) in regions of low N*/P ratios. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) surprisingly revealed that the pDNA within the piperazine-based polyplexes can be amplified in contrast to polyplexes based on l-PEI. The pDNA must therefore be more accessible and bound differently than for other known transfection polymers. Considering the various opportunities to further optimize their structure, polypiperazines represent a promising platform for designing effective soluble polymeric vectors, which are charge-neutral at physiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Hausig-Punke
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Gregor Dekevic
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Fabian H Sobotta
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Jana I Solomun
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Friederike Richter
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Denise Salzig
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Anja Traeger
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany.,Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Johannes C Brendel
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany.,Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
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Dekevic G, Tasto L, Czermak P, Salzig D. Statistical experimental designs to optimize the transient transfection of HEK 293 T cells and determine a transfer criterion from adherent cells to larger-scale cell suspension cultures. J Biotechnol 2022; 346:23-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Lothert K, Dekevic G, Loewe D, Salzig D, Czermak P, Wolff MW. Upstream and Downstream Processes for Viral Nanoplexes as Vaccines. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2183:217-248. [PMID: 32959247 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0795-4_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
The increasing medical interest in viral nanoplexes, such as viruses or virus-like particles used for vaccines, gene therapy products, or oncolytic agents, raises the need for fast and efficient production processes. In general, these processes comprise upstream and downstream processing. For the upstream process, efficiency is mainly characterized by robustly achieving high titer yields, while reducing process times and costs with regard to the cell culture medium, the host cell selection, and the applied process conditions. The downstream part, on the other hand, should effectively remove process-related contaminants, such as host cells/cell debris as well as host cell DNA and proteins, while maintaining product stability and reducing product losses. This chapter outlines a combination of process steps to successfully produce virus particles in the controlled environment of a stirred tank bioreactor, combined with a platform-based purification approach using filtration-based clarification and steric exclusion chromatography. Additionally, suggestions for off-line analytics in terms of virus characterization and quantification as well as for contaminant estimation are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keven Lothert
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology (IBPT), Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) - University of Applied Sciences, Giessen, Germany
| | - Gregor Dekevic
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology (IBPT), Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) - University of Applied Sciences, Giessen, Germany
| | - Daniel Loewe
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology (IBPT), Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) - University of Applied Sciences, Giessen, Germany
| | - Denise Salzig
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology (IBPT), Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) - University of Applied Sciences, Giessen, Germany
| | - Peter Czermak
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology (IBPT), Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) - University of Applied Sciences, Giessen, Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.,Division Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Giessen, Germany
| | - Michael W Wolff
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology (IBPT), Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) - University of Applied Sciences, Giessen, Germany.
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