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Welbourne EN, Loveday KA, Nair A, Nourafkan E, Qu J, Cook K, Kis Z, Dickman MJ. Anion exchange HPLC monitoring of mRNA in vitro transcription reactions to support mRNA manufacturing process development. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1250833. [PMID: 38516194 PMCID: PMC10955092 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1250833] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
mRNA technology has recently demonstrated the ability to significantly change the timeline for developing and delivering a new vaccine from years to months. The potential of mRNA technology for rapid vaccine development has recently been highlighted by the successful development and approval of two mRNA vaccines for COVID-19. Importantly, this RNA-based approach holds promise for treatments beyond vaccines and infectious diseases, e.g., treatments for cancer, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular conditions, and autoimmune diseases. There is currently significant demand for the development of improved manufacturing processes for the production of mRNA therapeutics in an effort to increase their yield and quality. The development of suitable analytical methods for the analysis of mRNA therapeutics is critical to underpin manufacturing development and the characterisation of the drug product and drug substance. In this study we have developed a high-throughput, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) workflow for the rapid analysis of mRNA generated using in vitro transcription (IVT). We have optimised anion exchange (AEX) HPLC for the analysis of mRNA directly from IVT. Chromatography was performed in under 6 min enabling separation of all of the key components in the IVT, including nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs), Cap analogue, plasmid DNA and mRNA product. Moreover, baseline separation of the NTPs was achieved, which facilitates accurate quantification of each NTP such that their consumption may be determined during IVT reactions. Furthermore, the HPLC method was used to rapidly assess the purification of the mRNA product, including removal of NTPs/Cap analogue and other contaminants after downstream purification, including solid phase extraction (SPE), oligo deoxythymidine (oligo-dT) affinity chromatography and tangential flow filtration (TFF). Using the developed method excellent precision was obtained with calibration curves for an external mRNA standard and NTPs giving correlation coefficients of 0.98 and 1.0 respectively. Intra- and inter-day studies on retention time stability of NTPs, showed a relative standard deviation ≤ 0.3% and ≤1.5% respectively. The mRNA retention time variability was ≤0.13%. This method was then utilised to monitor the progress of an IVT reaction for the production of Covid spike protein (C-Spike) mRNA to measure the increasing yield of mRNA alongside the consumption of NTPs during the reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma N. Welbourne
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Kate A. Loveday
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Adithya Nair
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ehsan Nourafkan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Jixin Qu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ken Cook
- ThermoFisher Scientific, Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom
| | - Zoltán Kis
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark J. Dickman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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Feng J, Valkova Z, Lin EE, Nourafkan E, Wang T, Tcholakova S, Slavchov R, Smoukov SK. Minimum surfactant concentration required for inducing self-shaping of oil droplets and competitive adsorption effects. Soft Matter 2022; 18:6729-6738. [PMID: 36040113 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01326b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Surfactant choice is key in starting the phenomena of artificial morphogenesis, the bottom-up growth of geometric particles from cooled emulsion droplets, as well as the bottom-up self-assembly of rechargeable microswimmer robots from similar droplets. The choice of surfactant is crucial for the formation of a plastic phase at the oil-water interface, for the kinetics, and for the onset temperature of these processes. But further details are needed to control these processes for bottom-up manufacturing and understand their molecular mechanisms. Still unknown are the minimum concentration of the surfactant necessary to induce the processes, or competing effects in a mixture of surfactants when only one is capable of inducing shapes. Here we systematically study the effect of surfactant nature and concentration on the shape-inducing behaviour of hexadecane-in-water emulsions with both cationic (CTAB) and non-ionic (Tween, Brij) surfactants over up to five orders of magnitude of concentration. The minimum effective concentration is found approximately equal to the critical micelle concentration (CMC), or the solubility limit below the Krafft point of the surfactant. However, the emulsions show low stability at the vicinity of CMC. In a mixed surfactant experiment (Tween 60 and Tween 20), where only one (Tween 60) can induce shapes we elucidate the role of competition at the interface during mixed surfactant adsorption by varying the composition. We find that a lower bound of ∼75% surface coverage of the shape-inducing surfactant with C14 or longer chain length is necessary for self-shaping to occur. The resulting technique produces a clear visual readout of otherwise difficult to investigate molecular events. These basic requirements (minimum concentration and % surface coverage to induce oil self-shaping) and the related experimental techniques are expected to guide academic and industrial scientists to formulations with complex surfactant mixtures and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiale Feng
- Active and Intelligent Materials Lab, Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 OFS, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Zhulieta Valkova
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University, 1 James Bourchier Ave., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria.
| | - E Emily Lin
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
| | - Ehsan Nourafkan
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
| | - Tiesheng Wang
- Active and Intelligent Materials Lab, Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 OFS, UK
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Slavka Tcholakova
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University, 1 James Bourchier Ave., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria.
| | - Radomir Slavchov
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
| | - Stoyan K Smoukov
- Active and Intelligent Materials Lab, Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 OFS, UK
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University, 1 James Bourchier Ave., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria.
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
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Bahador F, Foroutan R, Nourafkan E, Peighambardoust SJ, Esmaeili H. Enhancement of Biodiesel Production from Chicken Fat Using MgO and MgO@Na
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O Nanocatalysts. Chem Eng Technol 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ceat.202000511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fariba Bahador
- Islamic Azad University Department of Chemical Engineering, Bushehr Branch 7515895496 Bushehr Iran
| | - Rauf Foroutan
- University of Tabriz Faculty of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering 5166616471 Tabriz Iran
| | - Ehsan Nourafkan
- University of Lincoln School of Mathematics and Physics Lincoln United Kingdom
| | | | - Hossein Esmaeili
- Islamic Azad University Department of Chemical Engineering, Bushehr Branch 7515895496 Bushehr Iran
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Hu Z, Gao H, Ramisetti SB, Zhao J, Nourafkan E, Glover PWJ, Wen D. Carbon quantum dots with tracer-like breakthrough ability for reservoir characterization. Sci Total Environ 2019; 669:579-589. [PMID: 30889447 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Predictions have shown that our demand for oil and gas will continue to grow in the next decade, and future supply will become more reliant on tertiary recovery and from nonconventional resources. However, current reservoir characterization methodologies, such as well logs, cross-well electromagnetic imaging and seismic methods, have their individual limitations on detection range and resolution. Here we propose a pioneering way to use carbon quantum dots (CQDs) as nanoparticle tracers, which can be transported through a reservoir functioning as conventional tracers, while acting as sensors to obtain useful information. These hydrothermally produced CQDs from Xylose possess excellent stability in high ionic strength solutions, durable absorbance and fluorescence ability due to multi high-polarity functional group on their surfaces. Consistency between our on-line ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and off-line Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) measurements confirms that CQDs have the tracer-like migration capability in glass beads-packed columns and sandstone cores, regardless of particle concentration and ionic strength. However, their migration ability is undermined in the column packed with crushed calcite grains with positive charge. We also demonstrate that quantitative oil saturation detection in unknown sandstone core samples can be achieved by such CQDs based on its breakthrough properties influenced by the presence of oil phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongliang Hu
- School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Hui Gao
- School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Solna 171 77, Sweden
| | | | - Jin Zhao
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Ehsan Nourafkan
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Paul W J Glover
- School of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Dongsheng Wen
- School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
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Haruna MA, Pervaiz S, Hu Z, Nourafkan E, Wen D. Improved rheology and high-temperature stability of hydrolyzed polyacrylamide using graphene oxide nanosheet. J Appl Polym Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/app.47582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Maje Alhaji Haruna
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering; University of Leeds; Leeds United Kingdom
| | - Shahid Pervaiz
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering; University of Leeds; Leeds United Kingdom
| | - Zhongliang Hu
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering; University of Leeds; Leeds United Kingdom
| | - Ehsan Nourafkan
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering; University of Leeds; Leeds United Kingdom
| | - Dongsheng Wen
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering; University of Leeds; Leeds United Kingdom
- School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering; Beihang University; Beijing China
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Nourafkan E, Haruna MA, Gardy J, Wen D. Improved rheological properties and stability of multiwalled carbon nanotubes/polymer in harsh environment. J Appl Polym Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/app.47205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Nourafkan
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering; University of Leeds; Leeds LS2 9JT United Kingdom
| | - Maje Alhaji Haruna
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering; University of Leeds; Leeds LS2 9JT United Kingdom
| | - Jabbar Gardy
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering; University of Leeds; Leeds LS2 9JT United Kingdom
| | - Dongsheng Wen
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering; University of Leeds; Leeds LS2 9JT United Kingdom
- School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering; Beihang University; Beijing 100191 China
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Nourafkan E, Hu Z, Wen D. Nanoparticle-enabled delivery of surfactants in porous media. J Colloid Interface Sci 2018; 519:44-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2018.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Nourafkan E. Evaluation of adsorption of nonionic surfactants blend at water/oil interfaces. J DISPER SCI TECHNOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/01932691.2017.1381618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Nourafkan
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongliang Hu
- School
of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K
| | - Maje Haruna
- School
of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K
| | - Hui Gao
- School
of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K
| | - Ehsan Nourafkan
- School
of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K
| | - Dongsheng Wen
- School
of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K
- School
of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
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Nourafkan E, Alamdari A. Modeling of Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis in Ternary Reverse Microemulsion of Cyclohexane/Water/SDS. Particulate Science and Technology 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/02726351.2013.786770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Nourafkan E, Asachi M, Marandi R. Kinetics of lead and copper removal from oil-field brine by potential sorption. Water Sci Technol 2014; 70:2004-2014. [PMID: 25521137 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2014.444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The present study investigates the kinetics of lead and copper removal from oil-field brine by potential sorption. A population balance equation, coupled with a mass balance equation, was used in the estimation of kinetic parameters. Metal removal was performed by potential sorption of lead and copper through CaCO3 precipitates induced by the reaction of Na2CO3 and CaCl2. The oil-field brine was selected from an oil well in Gachsaran, Iran. The crystal size distribution of the solid phase was measured by dynamic laser scattering analyzer, and the liquor phase was analyzed using atomic adsorption. The morphology of calcium carbonate particles was illustrated using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the presence of copper and lead decreases the average size distribution of calcium carbonate particles by influencing the kinetic parameters. Lead and copper concentrations were reduced from 2.911 to 0.127 ppm (95.63% removal) and 0.476 to 0.025 ppm (94.74% removal), respectively, in exchange for 12 g CaCO3 consumption per 100 ml oil-field brine.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Nourafkan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz 7134851154, Iran E-mail:
| | - M Asachi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - R Marandi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
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Khayati G, Nourafkan E, Karimi G, Moradgholi J. Synthesis of cuprous oxide nanoparticles by mechanochemical oxidation of copper in high planetary energy ball mill. ADV POWDER TECHNOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apt.2012.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Nourafkan E, Alamdari A. Model for Batch Crystallization of Bisphenol-A Adduct under the Influence of Industrial Impurities. J Chem Eng Japan / JCEJ 2009. [DOI: 10.1252/jcej.08we151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Nourafkan
- Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, School of Engineering, Shiraz University
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