Cell cycle kinetics and monoclonal antibody productivity of hybridoma cells during perfusion culture

Screening and selection strategy for the establishment of biosimilar to trastuzumab-expressing CHO-K1 cell lines

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.

Techniques for dual staining of DNA and intracellular immunoglobulins in murine hybridoma cells: applications to cell-cycle analysis of hyperosmotic cultures

Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the effects of hyperosmotic stress on cell-cycle distribution and cell-associated immunoglobulins for murine hybridoma cells grown in batch culture. Paraformaldehyde/methanol fixation substantially increased the fluorescence signal for intracellular immunoglobulins compared to ethanol fixation. For surface immunoglobulins, similar fluorescence signals were observed regardless of fixation method. Dual staining of immunoglobulins and cellular DNA was employed to determine immunoglobulin pool size as a function of cell-cycle phase. The intracellular immunoglobulin pool sizes increased as the cells progressed through the cell cycle for both control and hyperosmotic cultures. For control cultures, the immunoglobulin pool size increased during the exponential phase of culture, followed by a decrease as the cultures entered stationary phase. In contrast, hyperosmotic cultures showed an initial decrease in immunoglobulin pool size upon the application of osmotic shock, followed by an increase to a level above that of control cultures. This behavior was observed in all phases of the cell cycle. In addition, hyperosmotic cultures exhibited an increase in cell size when compared to control cultures. When normalized for cell size, the intracellular immunoglobulin concentration in hyperosmotic cultures was initially lower than in control cultures and subsequently increased to slightly above the level of control cells. Cells in all phases of the cell cycle behaved in a similar manner. There was no apparent relationship between the intracellular antibody concentration and the rate of antibody secretion.

Hyperosmotic Stress in Murine Hybridoma Cells: Effects on Antibody Transcription, Translation, Posttranslational Processing, and the Cell Cycle

Mechanisms for increased antibody production in batch cultures of murine hybridoma cells in response to hyperosmotic stress were investigated. The rates of immunoglobulin transcription and protein translation and posttranslational processing were determined in control and hyperosmotic cultures. Changes in immunoglobulin transcription played a minor role in the increase in antibody production in response to hyperosmotic stress. In contrast, protein translation increased substantially in response to osmotic stress. However, the antibody translation rate remained relatively constant after correcting for the overall increase in protein translation. Cell size and intracellular antibody pool also increased in response to hyperosmolarity. The intracellular antibody pool increased proportionately with the increase in cell size, indicating that hyperosmotic cultures do not selectively increase their intracellular antibody population. Changes in cell cycle distribution in response to osmotic stress and the relationship between the cell cycle and antibody production were also evaluated. Hyperosmotic stress altered the cell cycle distribution, increasing the fraction of the cells in S-phase. However, this change was uncorrelated with the increase in antibody production rate. Immunoglobulin degradation was relatively low ( approximately 15%) and remained largely unchanged in response to hyperosmotic stress. There was no apparent increase in immunoglobulin stability as a result of osmotic stress. Antibody secretion rates increased approximately 50% in response to osmotic stress, with a commensurate increase in the antibody assembly rate. The rate of transit through the entire posttranslational processing apparatus increased, particularly for immunoglobulin light chains. The levels of endoplasmic reticulum chaperones did not increase as a fraction of the total cellular protein but were increased on a per cell basis as the result of an increase in total cellular protein. A difference in the interactions between the immunoglobulin heavy chains and BiP/GRP78 was observed in response to hyperosmotic conditions. This change in interaction may be correlated with the decrease in transit time through the posttranslational pathways. The increase in the posttranslational processing rate appears to be commensurate with the increase in antibody production in response to hyperosmotic stress.

Genome-wide analysis of the transcriptional response of murine hybridomas to osmotic shock

Hyperosmotic stress has been shown to increase specific antibody productivity in murine hybridoma systems; however, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are still poorly understood. To elucidate the mechanisms for this phenomenon as well as other physiological changes that occur in response to hyperosmotic stress, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the transcriptional response of murine hybridoma OKT3 toward hyperosmotic stress using DNA microarrays. GeneChip MOE430A from Affymetrix was used to determine the differences in transcription patterns between OKT3 in hyperosmotic culture (approximately 100 mOsm above control) and control culture. The chip contains 22,690 probe sets for over 14,000 known genes and more than 4,000 ESTs. Signals were normalized using the GC-RMA algorithm and the effectiveness of hyperosmotic stress in altering the expression of each gene was evaluated using one-way ANOVA. 2,793 probe sets on the chip were differentially expressed with a P < 0.05. Among them, 349 probe sets exhibited a two-fold or greater change (with 202 up-regulated and 147 down-regulated) at one or more time points. Within the 215 characterized, differentially expressed genes, many are involved in metabolism/catabolism (19 induced, 12 repressed), cell-cycle regulation (10 induced, 5 repressed) and apoptosis (8 induced, 2 repressed), regulation of transcription (18 induced, 13 repressed) and translation (2 induced, 2 repressed), transport and signaling pathways (24 induced, 12 repressed). Surprisingly, there were very few changes within the stress-response genes. Interestingly, the transcription levels of both the immunoglobulin kappa and lambda light chains showed a significant change in response to hyperosmotic stress, although there is no detectable lambda chain in the immunoglobulin produced in this cell line. Quantitative PCR assays with TaqMan probes were applied to selected genes to validate the results obtained from microarray analysis.

Screening for improved cell performance: Selection of subclones with altered production kinetics or improved stability by cell sorting

One of the major problems in the biotechnology industry is the selection of cell lines well suited for production of biopharmaceutical proteins. Usually, the most important selection criterion is the cell specific production rate. Nevertheless, a good producer cell line should have a number of additional advantageous properties, which allow the cell line to perform well in the type of bioreactor chosen for the process. However, the time and work required to select for high production rates as well as the lack of methods to specifically select for other cellular properties, usually prevents researchers from including such criteria into their screening program. With the Single Cell Secretion Assay it is possible to measure the specific production rates of individual cells by catching secreted product in an artificial matrix applied to the cell surface. Flow cytometric cell sorting then allows selection of rare cells with high production rates, which occur at frequencies as low as 10(-6). By combining this method with culture conditions that bring out a desired cellular property, we were able to isolate subclones with similar production rates, but improved performance from a recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cell line producing a human monoclonal antibody. The two desired cellular properties screened for were a non-growth associated production kinetic and improved stability in the absence of selective pressure.

Effect of feed and bleed rate on hybridoma cells in an acoustic perfusion bioreactor: Part I. Cell density, viability, and cell-cycle distribution

For the development of optimal perfusion processes the effect of the feed and bleed rate on cell growth in a perfusion bioreactor was studied. The viable-cell density, viability, growth, death, and lysis rate and cell-cycle distribution of a hybridoma cell line producing an IgG1 were studied over a range of specific feed and bleed rates. It was found that the feed and bleed rates applied in the different cultures could be divided into two regions based on the viable-cell density and cell-cycle distribution. The cultures in the first region, low feed rates (0.5 and 1.0 d(-1)) combined with low bleed rates (0.05 and 0.10 d(-1)), were nutrient-limited, as an increase in the feed rate resulted in an increase in the viable-cell density. The cultures in the second region, high feed and bleed rates, were nonnutrient-limited. In this region the viable-cell density decreased more or less linearly with an increase in the bleed rate and was independent of the feed rate. This suggests that the cells were limited by a cell-related factor. Comparison of Trypan-blue dye-exclusion measurements and lactate-dehydrogenase activity measurements revealed that cell lysis was not negligible in this bioreactor set-up. Therefore, lactate-dehydrogenase activity measurements were essential to measure the death rate accurately. The specific growth rate was nearly constant for all tested conditions. The viability increased with an increase of the bleed rate and was independent of the feed rate. Furthermore, the specific productivity of monoclonal antibody was constant under all tested conditions. For the optimal design of a perfusion process it should first be established whether viability is an important parameter. If not, a bleed rate as low as possible should be chosen. If low viabilities are to be avoided, the bleed rate chosen should be higher, with the value depending on the desired viability. Next, the feed rate should be set at such a rate that the cells are just in the nonnutrient-limited region.

Comparative proteomic analysis of GS-NS0 murine myeloma cell lines with varying recombinant monoclonal antibody production rate

We have employed an inverse engineering strategy based on quantitative proteome analysis to identify changes in intracellular protein abundance that correlate with increased specific recombinant monoclonal antibody production (qMab) by engineered murine myeloma (NS0) cells. Four homogeneous NS0 cell lines differing in qMab were isolated from a pool of primary transfectants. The proteome of each stably transfected cell line was analyzed at mid-exponential growth phase by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and individual protein spot volume data derived from digitized gel images were compared statistically. To identify changes in protein abundance associated with qMab datasets were screened for proteins that exhibited either a linear correlation with cell line qMab or a conserved change in abundance specific only to the cell line with highest qMab. Several proteins with altered abundance were identified by mass spectrometry. Proteins exhibiting a significant increase in abundance with increasing qMab included molecular chaperones known to interact directly with nascent immunoglobulins during their folding and assembly (e.g., BiP, endoplasmin, protein disulfide isomerase). 2D-PAGE analysis showed that in all cell lines Mab light chain was more abundant than heavy chain, indicating that this is a likely prerequisite for efficient Mab production. In summary, these data reveal both the adaptive responses and molecular mechanisms enabling mammalian cells in culture to achieve high-level recombinant monoclonal antibody production.

Understanding factors that limit the productivity of suspension-based perfusion cultures operated at high medium renewal rates

One of the key parameters in perfusion culture is the rate of medium replacement (D). Intensifying D results in enhanced provision of nutrients, which can lead to an increase in the viable cell density (X(v)). The daily MAb production of hybridoma cells can thus be increased proportionally without modifying the bioreactor scale, provided that both viable cell yield per perfusion rate (Y(Xv/D)) and specific MAb productivity (q(MAb)) remain constant at higher D. To identify factors prone to limit productivity in perfusion, a detailed kinetic analysis was carried out on a series of cultures operated within a D range of 0.48/4.34 vvd (volumes of medium/reactor volume/day) in two different suspension-based systems. In the Celligen/vortex-flow filter system, significant reductions in Y(Xv/D) and q(MAb) resulting from the use of gas sparging were observed at D > 1.57 vvd (X(v) > 15 x 10(6) cells/mL). Through glucose supplementation, we have shown that the decrease in Y(Xv/D) encountered in presence of sparging was not resulting from increased cellular destruction or reduced cell growth, but rather from glucose limitation. Thus, increases in hydrodynamic shear stress imparted to the culture via intensification of gas sparging resulted in a gradual increase in specific glucose consumption (q(glc)) and lactate production rates (q(lac)), while no variations were observed in glutamine-consumption rates. As a result, while glutamine was the sole limiting-nutrient under non-sparging conditions, both glutamine and glucose became limiting under sparging conditions. Although a reduction in q(MAb) was observed at high-sparging rates, inhibition of MAb synthesis did not result from direct impact of bubbles, but was rather associated with elevated lactate levels (25-30 mM), resulting from shear stress-induced increases in q(lac), q(glc), and Y(lac/glc). Deleterious effects of sparging on Y(Xv/D) and q(MAb) encountered in the Celligen/vortex-flow filter system were eliminated in the sparging-free low-shear environment of the Chemap-HRI/ultrasonic filter system, allowing for the maintenance of up to 37 x 10(6) viable cells/mL. A strategy aimed at reducing requirements for sparging in large-scale perfusion cultures by way of a reduction in the oxygen demand using cellular engineering is discussed.

Apoptosis-resistant E1B-19K-expressing NS/0 myeloma cells exhibit increased viability and chimeric antibody productivity under perfusion culture conditions

We have shown previously that recombinant NS/0 myelomas expressing sufficient amounts of E1B-19K were resistant to apoptosis occurring in the late phase of batch culture and under stressful conditions such as cultivation in glutamine-free medium or following heat shock. However, no significant increase in monoclonal antibodies (MAb) was observed during the prolonged stationary phase of these batch cultures. Here, we show that E1B-19K can enhance cell survival and improve MAb productivity in high cell density perfusion culture. Typically, lymphoid cells grown under steady state in perfusion exhibit decreasing viabilities with concomitant accumulation of apoptotic cells. By modulating the ability of these cells to resist to induction of apoptosis in low nutrient environment, a 3-fold decrease in specific death rate from 0.22 day-1 for NS/0 control to 0.07 day-1 for E1B-19K cells was achieved, resulting in a significant improvement in cell viability throughout perfusion. E1B-19K cells at the perfusion plateau phase also exhibited a 3-fold reduction in specific growth rate concomitant with a lower percentage of S and higher percentage of G1 phase cells. This was associated with a 40% decrease in specific oxygen consumption rate, likely related to a reduction in the specific consumption rates of limiting nutrient(s). Expression of E1B-19K consequently had a significant impact on the steady-state viable cell density, allowing maintenance of 11.5 x 10(6) E1B-19K cells/mL versus 5.9 x 10(6) control NS/0 cells/mL for the same amount of fresh medium brought into the system (half a volume per day). Whereas MAb concentrations found in perfusion culture of control NS/0 myelomas were almost 3-fold higher than those found in batch culture; in the case of E1B-19K-expressing myelomas, the MAb concentration in perfusion was more than 7-fold higher than in batch. This was attributable to the 2-fold increase in viable cell plateau and to a 40% increase in the perfusion to batch ratio of specific MAb productivity (2.2-fold for E1B-19K myelomas versus 1.6-fold for NS/0 control).

Changes during subclone development and ageing of human antibody-producing recombinant CHO cells

Some of the problems encountered with human or human-mouse heterohybridomas, such as low growth rates and high serum requirements, have led to the increased use of recombinant cell lines for production of human antibodies. To evaluate the suitability of such alternative cell lines for the production of human antibodies we have analysed several subclones with differing specific production rates of a recombinant CHO cell line. Gene copy number and site of chromosomal integration for the light and heavy chain and the dhfr gene were determined by in-situ hybridisation. Specific mRNA content was analysed by Northern blot. In addition the intracellular content in light and heavy chain was measured by flow cytometry and the specific secretion rates were determined. The stability of gene expression was followed in the highest producing subclone for over a year. As previously seen in heterohybridoma cells a high expression rate of light chain is beneficial in speeding up secretion rates of whole antibody. When grown in the presence of G418 and methotrexate the amplified gene copies in the genome of recombinant CHO cells were stable over more than 100 passages. However, the expression of light chain, and with it the secretion rate, decreased with time. The low intracellular concentration of light chain resulted in accumulation of heavy chain in the endoplasmic reticulum due to retention by chaperones. The specific secretion rate decreased by 50% after 100 passages. When no G418 or methotrexate were present 75% of the gene copies were lost after 100 passages.

Analysis of changes during subclone development and ageing of human antibody-producing heterohybridoma cells by northern blot and flow cytometry

The economic importance of obtaining high-producing subclones for large scale production of pharmaceutical proteins is self-evident. However, few papers have studied the changes that occur during subclone development. This information would be important for further improvement of screening and subcloning protocols. We have therefore compared subclones of a human-mouse heterohybridoma cell line producing a human antibody againt HIV-1. Three subclones with low, medium and high specific production rates were selected for this study and their light and heavy chain mRNA content, the intracellular content of light and heavy chain and the specific secretion rates compared. In addition the long time stability of antibody expression in the highest producing subclone was analysed for one year. For the three subclones a correlation between the intracellular content in light chain and the secretion rate was found, while the intracellular content in heavy chain was the same for all three subclones. These results indicate that the assembly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is one of the major rate limiting factors in antibody production. During long time cultivation of the heterohybridoma cell line a continuous decrease in light and heavy chain production was seen without the appearance of a non producing sub-population.

Descriptive parameter evaluation in mammalian cell culture

Several methods exist for assessing population growth and protein productivity in mammalian cell culture. These methods were critically examined here, based on experiments with two hybridoma cell lines. It is shown that mammalian cell culture parameters must be evaluated on the same basis. In batch culture mode most data is obtained on a cumulative basis (protein product titre, substrate concentration, metabolic byproduct concentration). A simple numerical integration technique can be employed to convert cell concentration data to a cumulative basis (cell-hours). The hybridoma lines used in this study included a nutritionally non-fastidious line producing low levels of MAb and a nutritionally fastidious hybridoma with high productivity. In both cases the cell-hour approach was the most appropriate means of expressing the relationship between protein productivity and cell population dynamics. The cell-hour approach could be used as the basis for all metabolic population parameter evaluations. This method has the potential to be used successfully for both prediction and optimization purposes.

Correlation between secreted and membrane-bound IgG in mouse myeloma cells transfected with chimeric immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes

Mouse myeloma cells were transfected with pSV2-gpt and pSV2-neo based immunoglobulin expression vectors. Double transfectants were selected using the xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (gpt) and the neomycin (neo) selection marker genes. A broad distribution in the level of mouse-human chimeric IgG expression was observed with series of independently isolated transfectoma clones. The relative amounts of secreted to membrane-bound antibodies correlated closely, which suggested, that fluorescence-activated cell sorting could be a valuable tool for the selection of high-yielding production cell lines. However, a single cycle of cell sorting did not steer the cloning process significantly toward cells that produce enhanced amounts of recombinant IgG. Only in cases in which the polyclonal transfectoma population contained a large percentage of nonproducing cells, these were successfully separated from the IgG-producing cell population. (c) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Optimizing antibody production in batch hybridoma cell culture

Optimizing productivity by hybridoma cells relies partly on developing suitable methods for screening and selection of high producing cultures and on understanding regulation of antibody production. In this study, the behavior of hybridoma cells in batch culture was investigated using flow cytometry, and a simple model for antibody production was used to explain production data obtained from these cultures. Surface antibody fluorescence values were found to closely follow the decreasing trend of specific antibody secretion rate over the course of several batch cultures. Therefore, for the hybridoma cell lines studied here (ATCC HB124 and TIB138), surface immunofluorescence levels can be used to select high producing cells as well as to monitor culture productivity. Surface and intracellular antibody fluorescence values were also found to be correlated for cells exhibiting a bimodal distribution with respect to intracellular antibody content. The population of cells containing a bimodal distribution with respect to intracellular antibody content. The population of cells containing lower levels of intracellular antibody was determined to secrete significantly less antibody than the population possessing high intracellular antibody concentrations. Factors which influence antibody production rates and possible strategies for optimizing monoclonal antibody yield are discussed.