Identification of Fc Gamma Receptor Glycoforms That Produce Differential Binding Kinetics for Rituximab.

Fc gamma receptors (FcγR) bind the Fc region of antibodies and therefore play a prominent role in antibody-dependent cell-based immune responses such as ADCC, CDC and ADCP. The immune effector cell activity is directly linked to a productive molecular engagement of FcγRs where both the protein and glycan moiety of antibody and receptor can affect the interaction and in the present study we focus on the role of the FcγR glycans in this interaction. We provide a complete description of the glycan composition of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) expressed human Fcγ receptors RI (CD64), RIIaArg131/His131 (CD32a), RIIb (CD32b) and RIIIaPhe158/Val158 (CD16a) and analyze the role of the glycans in the binding mechanism with IgG. The interactions of the monoclonal antibody rituximab with each FcγR were characterized and we discuss the CHO-FcγRIIIaPhe158/Val158 and CHO-FcγRI interactions and compare them to the equivalent interactions with human (HEK293) and murine (NS0) produced receptors. Our results reveal clear differences in the binding profiles of rituximab, which we attribute in each case to the differences in host cell-dependent FcγR glycosylation. The glycan profiles of CHO expressed FcγRI and FcγRIIIaPhe158/Val158 were compared with the glycan profiles of the receptors expressed in NS0 and HEK293 cells and we show that the glycan type and abundance differs significantly between the receptors and that these glycan differences lead to the observed differences in the respective FcγR binding patterns with rituximab. Oligomannose structures are prevalent on FcγRI from each source and likely contribute to the high affinity rituximab interaction through a stabilization effect. On FcγRI and FcγRIIIa large and sialylated glycans have a negative impact on rituximab binding, likely through destabilization of the interaction. In conclusion, the data show that the IgG1-FcγR binding kinetics differ depending on the glycosylation of the FcγR and further support a stabilizing role of FcγR glycans in the antibody binding interaction.

A global RNA-seq-driven analysis of CHO host and production cell lines reveals distinct differential expression patterns of genes contributing to recombinant antibody glycosylation.

Boehringer Ingelheim uses two CHO-DG44 lines for manufacturing biotherapeutics, BI-HEX-1 and BI-HEX-2, which produce distinct cell type-specific antibody glycosylation patterns. A recently established CHO-K1 descended host, BI-HEX-K1, generates antibodies with glycosylation profiles differing from CHO-DG44. Manufacturing process development is significantly influenced by these unique profiles. To investigate the underlying glycosylation related gene expression, we leveraged our CHO host and production cell RNA-seqtranscriptomics and product quality database together with the CHO-K1 genome. We observed that each BI-HEX host and antibody producing cell line has a unique gene expression fingerprint. CHO-DG44 cells only transcribe Fut10, Gfpt2 and ST8Sia6 when expressing antibodies. BI-HEX-K1 cells express ST8Sia6 at host cell level. We detected a link between BI-HEX-1/BI-HEX-2 antibody galactosylation and mannosylation and the gene expression of the B4galt gene family and genes controlling mannose processing. Furthermore, we found major differences between the CHO-DG44 and CHO-K1 lineages in the expression of sialyl transferases and enzymes synthesizing sialic acid precursors, providing a rationale for the lack of immunogenic NeuGc/NGNA synthesis in CHO. Our study highlights the value of systems biotechnology to understand glycoprotein synthesis and product glycoprofiles. Such data improve future production clone selection and process development strategies for better steering of biotherapeutic product quality.