Cell line-specific impact of dexamethasone on the bioprocessing of Chinese hamster ovary cells

초록

This study explored the cell line-specific effects of dexamethasone (DEX) on three antibody-producing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) clones derived from different parental host cell lines: CHO-K1, -S, and -DG44. The CHO-K1 and -DG44 cell lines displayed DEX-concentration-dependent growth inhibition but had improved viability in later culture stages, extending culture longevity. Conversely, the CHO-S cell line was less sensitive to DEX regarding cell growth but exhibited a drastic decrease in viability in the later stages of culture. The cell line-specific impact of DEX (i.e. the anti-apoptotic or pro-apoptotic effects) could have resulted from the presence or absence of the GR alpha-D isoform and relative level of GR alpha-C isoform in these cell lines. The CHO-K1 and -DG44 cell lines, which expressed GR alpha-D and relatively low levels of GR alpha-C, displayed improved cell viability in response to DEX. In contrast, the CHO-S cell line, which lacked GR alpha-D expression with relatively higher levels of GR alpha-C, exhibited pro-apoptotic effects upon exposure to DEX. DEX also influenced glucose consumption and metabolite production in all three cell lines, while its effects on antibody quality were negligible. Therefore, when supplementing glucocorticoids such as DEX in cell culture media, it is crucial to assess their ability to enhance culture performance carefully. This study could provide insights for optimizing production media to specific cell lines within the bioprocessing field.

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