Proteomic profiling of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis protein expression data

We have undertaken two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) proteomic profiling on a series of cell lines with different recombinant antibody production rates. Due to the nature of 2-DE proteomic investigations there will always be 'process variability' factors in any data set collected in this way. Some of this variation will arise during sample preparation, gel running and staining, while further variation will arise from the gel analysis procedure. Therefore, in order to identify all significant changes in protein expression between biological samples when analysed by 2-DE, the system precision or 'error', and how this correlates to protein abundance, must be known. Only then can the system be considered robust and investigators accurately and confidently report all observable statistically significant changes in protein expression. We introduce an expression variability test to identify protein spots whose expression correlates with increased antibody production. The results have highlighted a small number of candidate proteins for further investigation

Directed evolution of biomass intensive CHO cells by adaptation to sub-physiological temperature

We report a simple and effective means to increase the biosynthetic capacity of host CHO cells. Lonza proprietary CHOK1SV® cells were evolved by serial sub-culture for over 150 generations at 32 °C. During this period the specific proliferation rate of hypothermic cells gradually recovered to become comparable to that of cells routinely maintained at 37 °C. Cold-adapted cell populations exhibited (1) a significantly increased volume and biomass content (exemplified by total RNA and protein), (2) increased mitochondrial function, (3) an increased antioxidant capacity, (4) altered central metabolism, (5) increased transient and stable productivity of a model IgG4 monoclonal antibody and Fc-fusion protein, and (6) unaffected recombinant protein N-glycan processing. This phenotypic transformation was associated with significant genome-scale changes in both karyotype and the relative abundance of thousands of cellular mRNAs across numerous functional groups. Taken together, these observations provide evidence of coordinated cellular adaptations to sub-physiological temperature. These data reveal the extreme genomic/functional plasticity of CHO cells, and that directed evolution is a viable genome-scale cell engineering strategy that can be exploited to create host cells with an increased cellular capacity for recombinant protein production

Plant protein hydrolysates support CHO-320 cells proliferation and recombinant IFN-gamma production in suspension and inside microcarriers in protein-free media

We have recently developed a protein-free medium (PFS) able to support the growth of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in suspension. Upon further supplementation with some plant protein hydrolysates. medium performances reached what could be observed in serum-containing media [Burteau et al. In Vitro Cell. Dei,. Biol.-Anhn. 39 (2003) 291]. Now, we describe the use of rice and wheat protein hydrolysates. as non-nutritional additives to the culture medium to support productivity and cell growth in suspension or in microcarriers. When CHO-320 cells secreting recombinant interferon-gamma were cultivated in suspension in a bioreactor with our PFS supplemented with wheat hydrolysates. the maximum cell density increased by 25% and the IFN-gamma secretion by 60% compared to the control PFS. A small-scale perfusion system consisting of CHO-320 cells growing on and inside fibrous microcarriers under discontinuous operation was first developed. Under these conditions: rice protein hydrolysates stimulated recombinant IFN-gamma secretion by 30% compared to the control PFS. At the bioreactorscale. similar results were obtained but when compared to shake-flasks studies, nutrients, oxygen or toxic by-products gradients inside the microcarriers seemed to be the main limitation of the system. An increase of the perfusion rate to maintain glucose concentration over 5.5 mM and dissolved oxygen (DO) at 60% was able to stimulate the production of IFN-gamma to a level of 6.6 mug h(-1) g(-1) of microcarriers after 160 h when a cellular density of about 4 x 10 cell g(-1) of carriers was reached