Application of recombinant human leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) produced in rice (Oryza sativa L.) for maintenance of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells have the ability to differentiate into any somatic cell type, and thus have potential to treat a number of diseases that are currently incurable. Application of these cells for clinical or industrial uses would require an increase in production to yield adequate numbers of viable cells. However, the relatively high costs of cytokines and growth factors required for maintenance of stem cells in the undifferentiated state have the potential to limit translational research. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a member of the IL-6 cytokine family, is a key regulator in the maintenance of naïve states for both human and mouse stem cells. In this study, we describe a new recombinant human LIF (rhLIF) using a plant-based (rice) expression system. We found that rice-derived rhLIF possessed the same specific activity as commercial Escherichia coli-derived LIF and was capable of supporting mouse embryonic stem cell proliferation in the undifferentiated state as evidenced from pluripotency marker level analysis. Retention of the pluripotent state was found to be indistinguishable between rice-derived rhLIF and other recombinant LIF proteins currently on the market.

Biochemical and structural characterization of recombinant human serum transferrin from rice (Oryza sativa L.).

The Fe(3+) binding protein human serum transferrin (hTF) is well known for its role in cellular iron delivery via the transferrin receptor (TFR). A new application is the use of hTF as a therapy and targeted drug delivery system for a number of diseases. Recently, production of hTF in plants has been reported; such systems provide a relatively inexpensive, animal-free (eliminating potential contamination by animal pathogens) method to produce large amounts of recombinant proteins for such biopharmaceutical applications. Specifically, the production of Optiferrin (hTF produced in rice, Oryza sativa, from InVitria) has been shown to yield large amounts of functional protein for use in culture medium for cellular iron delivery to promote growth. In the present work we describe further purification (by gel filtration) and characterization of hTF produced in rice (purified Optiferrin) to determine its suitability in biopharmaceutical applications. The spectral, mass spectrometric, urea gel and kinetic analysis shows that purified Optiferrin is similar to recombinant nonglycosylated N-His tagged hTF expressed by baby hamster kidney cells and/or serum derived glycosylated hTF. Additionally, in a competitive immunoassay, iron-loaded Optiferrin is equivalent to iron-loaded N-His hTF in its ability to bind to the soluble portion of the TFR immobilized in an assay plate. As an essential requirement for any functional hTF, both lobes of purified Optiferrin bind Fe(3+) tightly yet reversibly. Although previously shown to be capable of delivering Fe(3+) to cells, the kinetics of iron release from iron-loaded Optiferrin™/sTFR and iron-loaded N-His hTF/sTFR complexes differ somewhat. We conclude that the purified Optiferrin might be suitable for consideration in biopharmaceutical applications.

Processing sites in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag-Pro-Pol precursor are cleaved by the viral protease at different rates.

We have examined the kinetics of processing of the HIV-1 Gag-Pro-Pol precursor in an in vitro assay with mature protease added in trans. The processing sites were cleaved at different rates to produce distinct intermediates. The initial cleavage occurred at the p2/NC site. Intermediate cleavages occurred at similar rates at the MA/CA and RT/IN sites, and to a lesser extent at sites upstream of RT. Late cleavages occurred at the sites flanking the protease (PR) domain, suggesting sequestering of these sites. We observed paired intermediates indicative of half- cleavage of RT/RH site, suggesting that the RT domain in Gag-Pro-Pol was in a dimeric form under these assay conditions. These results clarify our understanding of the processing kinetics of the Gag-Pro-Pol precursor and suggest regulated cleavage. Our results further suggest that early dimerization of the PR and RT domains may serve as a regulatory element to influence the kinetics of processing within the Pol domain.

Replacement of the P1 amino acid of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Gag processing sites can inhibit or enhance the rate of cleavage by the viral protease.

Processing of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag precursor is highly regulated, with differential rates of cleavage at the five major processing sites to give characteristic processing intermediates. We examined the role of the P1 amino acid in determining the rate of cleavage at each of these five sites by using libraries of mutants generated by site-directed mutagenesis. Between 12 and 17 substitution mutants were tested at each P1 position in Gag, using recombinant HIV-1 protease (PR) in an in vitro processing reaction of radiolabeled Gag substrate. There were three sites in Gag (MA/CA, CA/p2, NC/p1) where one or more substitutions mediated enhanced rates of cleavage, with an enhancement greater than 60-fold in the case of NC/p1. For the other two sites (p2/NC, p1/p6), the wild-type amino acid conferred optimal cleavage. The order of the relative rates of cleavage with the P1 amino acids Tyr, Met, and Leu suggests that processing sites can be placed into two groups and that the two groups are defined by the size of the P1' amino acid. These results point to a trans effect between the P1 and P1' amino acids that is likely to be a major determinant of the rate of cleavage at the individual sites and therefore also a determinant of the ordered cleavage of the Gag precursor.