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Lentivirus-derived vectors (LVs) were studied for the generation of stable recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines. Stable pools and clones expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) were selected via fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). For comparison, cell pools and cell lines were also generated by transfection, using the LV transfer plasmid alone. The level and stability of eGFP expression was greater in LV-transduced cell lines and pools than in those established by transfection. CHO cells were also infected at two different multiplicities of infection with an LV co-expressing eGFP and a tumor necrosis factor receptor:Fc fusion protein (TNFR:Fc). At 2-day post-infection, clonal cell lines with high eGFP-specific fluorescence were recovered by FACS. These clones co-expressed TNFR:Fc with yields of 50-250 mg/L in 4-day cultures. The recovered cell lines maintained stable expression over 3 months in serum-free suspension culture without selection. In conclusion, LV-mediated gene transfer provided an efficient alternative to plasmid transfection for the generation of stable and high-producing recombinant cell lines., (Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Large-scale transient gene expression (TGE) in mammalian cells is a rapid method to generate recombinant proteins, but the volumetric productivity for secreted proteins is still more than an order of magnitude lower than the yields typically achieved with recombinant cell lines. Here transient recombinant protein production in Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with linear 25 kDa polyethylenimine was significantly enhanced by incubation of the cells at temperatures ranging from 29 to 33 degrees C after DNA delivery. With this approach, transient recombinant antibody yields of 60-80 mg/L were achieved within 6 days of transfection. The increase in TGE correlated with the accumulation of cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, increased cell size, higher cell viability, higher steady-state levels of transgene mRNA, reduced consumption of nutrients, and decreased accumulation of waste products. The enhancement of TGE was not vector-dependent, but the presence of the woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element in the 3' untranslated region of the transgene mRNA increased transient recombinant antibody expression more than 3-fold at 31 degrees C as compared to expression at 37 degrees C. The yields achieved by the low-temperature enhancement of TGE in CHO cells makes this technology feasible for the rapid production of gram amounts of secreted recombinant proteins at large scale (up to 100 L).

For large-scale applications in biotechnology, cultivation of mammalian cells in suspension is an essential prerequisite. Typically, suspension cultures are grown in glass spinner flasks filled to less than 50% of the nominal volume. We propose a superior system for suspension cultures of mammalian cells based on orbital shaker technology. We found that "square-shaped" bottles (square bottles) provide an inexpensive but efficient means to grow HEK-293 EBNA and CHO-DG44 cells to high density. Cultures in agitated 1-L square bottles exceeded the performance of cultures in spinner flasks, reaching densities up to 7 x 10(6) cells/mL for HEK-293 EBNA cells and 5 x 10(6) cells/mL for CHO-DG44 cells in comparison to (2.5-4) x 10(6) cells/mL for cultures of the same cells grown in spinner flasks. For 1-L square bottles, optimal cell growth and viability were observed with a filling volume of 30-40% of the nominal volume and an agitation speed of 130 rpm at a rotational diameter of 2.5 cm. Transient reporter gene expression following gene delivery by calcium phosphate-DNA co-precipitation was the same or slightly better for HEK-293 EBNA cells grown in square bottles as compared to spinner flasks. Reductions in cost, simplified handling, and better performance in cell growth and viability make the agitated square bottle a new and very promising tool for the cultivation of mammalian cells in suspension.