Enhanced Production and Sialylation of Albumin-erythropoietin by Cell Cycle Inhibitor in CHO Cell Cultures

초록

Chinese hamster ovary(CHO) cells have been widely used in the production of recombinant proteins. For high productivity of target protein, control of cell cycle is often used in CHO cell cultures because G1 phase is the most activated production phase in cell cycle. In this study, we investigated the effect of sodium butyrate (NaBu) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on cell cycle arrest in CHO cells producing albumin-erythropoietin (Alb-EPO). When NaBu and DMSO were added into culture media at day 0, viable cell density and viability were decreased, while productivity was enhanced. Especially, production of Alb-EPO with 0.5 mM of NaBu was 1.26-fold higher than that of the control culture. Compared with control cultue, viable cells of G1 phase with NaBu and DMSO were enhanced by 20-25%. In addition, sialic acid assay was conducted to determine the effect of G1 phase arrest on sialylation of Alb-EPO. Sialic acid contents in the presence of NaBu and DMSO were enhanced 1.2-fold and 1.44-fold, respectively. In conclusion, it was found that cell cycle arrest using NaBu and DMSO improved the production and sialylation of Alb-EPO.