Understanding and Controlling Sialylation in a CHO Fc-Fusion Process.

A Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) bioprocess, where the product is a sialylated Fc-fusion protein, was operated at pilot and manufacturing scale and significant variation of sialylation level was observed. In order to more tightly control glycosylation profiles, we sought to identify the cause of variability. Untargeted metabolomics and transcriptomics methods were applied to select samples from the large scale runs. Lower sialylation was correlated with elevated mannose levels, a shift in glucose metabolism, and increased oxidative stress response. Using a 5-L scale model operated with a reduced dissolved oxygen set point, we were able to reproduce the phenotypic profiles observed at manufacturing scale including lower sialylation, higher lactate and lower ammonia levels. Targeted transcriptomics and metabolomics confirmed that reduced oxygen levels resulted in increased mannose levels, a shift towards glycolysis, and increased oxidative stress response similar to the manufacturing scale. Finally, we propose a biological mechanism linking large scale operation and sialylation variation. Oxidative stress results from gas transfer limitations at large scale and the presence of oxygen dead-zones inducing upregulation of glycolysis and mannose biosynthesis, and downregulation of hexosamine biosynthesis and acetyl-CoA formation. The lower flux through the hexosamine pathway and reduced intracellular pools of acetyl-CoA led to reduced formation of N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylneuraminic acid, both key building blocks of N-glycan structures. This study reports for the first time a link between oxidative stress and mammalian protein sialyation. In this study, process, analytical, metabolomic, and transcriptomic data at manufacturing, pilot, and laboratory scales were taken together to develop a systems level understanding of the process and identify oxygen limitation as the root cause of glycosylation variability.

Antiretroviral bioanalysis methods of tissues and body biofluids.

Research in the many areas of HIV treatment, eradication and prevention has necessitated measurement of antiretroviral (ARV) concentrations in nontraditional specimen types. To determine the knowledgebase of critical details for accurate bioanalysis, a review of the literature was performed and summarized. Bioanalytical assays for 31 ARVs, including metabolites, were identified in 205 publications measuring various tissues and biofluids. 18 and 30% of tissue or biofluid methods, respectively, analyzed more than one specimen type; 35-37% of the tissue or biofluid methods quantitated more than one ARV. 20 and 76% of tissue or biofluid methods, respectively, were used for the analysis of human specimens. HPLC methods with UV detection predominated, but chronologically MS detection began to surpass. 40% of the assays provided complete intra- and inter-assay validation data, but only 9% of publications provided any stability data with even less for the prevalent ARV in treatments.

Estimation of atorvastatin calcium and fenofibrate in tablets by derivative spectrophotometry and liquid chromatography.

Two simple and accurate methods to determine atorvastatin calcium (ATO) and fenofibrate (FEN) in combined dosage forms were developed using second-derivative spectrophotometry and reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC). ATO and FEN in combined preparations (tablets) were quantitated using the second-derivative responses at 245.64 nm for ATO and 289.56 nm for FEN in spectra of their solution in methanol. The calibration curves were linear [correlation coefficient (r) = 0.9992 for ATO and 0.9995 for FEN] in the concentration range of 3-15 microg/mL for ATO and FEN. In the LC method, analysis was performed on a Hypersil ODS-C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm id, 5 microm particle size) in the isocratic mode using the mobile phase methanol-water (90 + 10, v/v), adjusted to pH 5.5 with orthophosphoric acid, at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. Measurement was made at a wavelength of 246.72 nm. Both drugs were well resolved on the stationary phase, and the retention times were 1.95 min for ATO and 5.50 min for FEN. The calibration curves were linear (r = 0.9985 for ATO and 0.9976 for FEN) in the concentration range of 3-15 microg/mL for ATO and FEN. Both methods were validated, and the results were compared statistically. They were found to be accurate, precise, and specific. The methods were successfully applied to the estimation of ATO and FEN in combined tablet formulations.