Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is an important serum protein that functions in the innate immune system and has been considered to have therapeutic potential in MBL replacement therapies for patients with deficient or low levels of MBL. In this study, we established a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line that overexpresses the recombinant human MBL (rhMBL) protein. In an 11-day batch culture process using a 30-L bioreactor (20-L working volume) and serum-free medium, these cells could produce over 226 mg/L of rhMBL protein. The recombinant protein was then purified to homogeneity from the culture supernatant using a three-step chromatographic procedure that resulted in a recovery rate of approximately 55%. This purified rhMBL protein adopted oligomeric bouquet-like structures that were similar to those of native MBL present in human blood, and these oligomeric structures were reported to be critical in MBL functions. We further demonstrated in carbohydrate binding and complementation activation assays that this rhMBL protein was functionally active with very similar dissociation constants and half maximal effective concentrations to those of native MBL.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent multi-functional protein that affects morphogenesis, cell migration, organ regeneration, and tumor invasion in various tissues, and has thus been considered to have potential as a therapeutic target in various diseases. In our current study, we established Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells overexpressing recombinant human HGF (rhHGF) protein and in a 5day batch culture process using a 7.5l bioreactor (5l working volume) and serum-free medium these cells could produce over 13mg/l of rhHGF protein. The recombinant protein was then purified to homogeneity from the culture supernatant using a two-step chromatographic procedure that resulted in about a 35% recovery rate. This purified rhHGF was found to be a mixture of inactive pro-HGF and an active heterodimeric form of this protein with a higher molecular weight than its counterpart expressed from insect cells. This finding suggests that the glycosylation of rhHGF protein in CHO cells differs from that in insect cells. Inactive pro-HGF was found to rapidly convert to the active heterodimeric form of HGF in the presence of FBS (Fetal Bovine Serum), suggesting that this process would occur also when injected into human body. We further demonstrate in cell proliferation and scattering activity assays that our purified rhHGF protein preparation is functionally active with a half-maximal effective concentration of 36.3ng/ml.

Bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) is a signaling homodimeric molecule that acts as a morphogen to influence cell fate in a concentration-dependent manner. The limited supply of a pure preparation of BMP-4, due to very low level of their expression in vivo, makes it difficult not only to study the biological activities of BMPs, but also to use them as a clinical tool. For a large-scale production of BMP-4, human BMP-4 cDNA was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells by a recently development vector system, which confers position-independent stable expression of the foreign Genes. The CHO cell line expressing recombinant human BMP-4 (rhBMP-4) at the level of 7 mu g/ml Could be obtained after stepwise selection with methotrexate. This level of expression is about 70 times higher than those previously reported. The partially processed form of BMP-4 as well as mature form Could be detected, when the aliquots Of Culture media were analyzed by Western blot. The glycosylation pattern and bioloaical activity of the rhBMP-4 were determined by glycosidase treatment and the induction rate of alkaline phosphatase in mouse osteoblastic cells.