Title: The CHO cell line as a potentially safer host for cetuximab therapeutic antibody production than the Sp2/0 cell line

Authors: Edyta E. Bartusik-Czubek; Bartłomiej M. Czubek; Paulina E. Toboła; Karolina M. Lonkwic; Piotr P. Miłek; Olga H. Grzyb; Julita A. Balcerek; Tadeusz Pietrucha; Sławomir Jaros

Addresses: Mabion S.A. Scientific-Industrial Complex of Medicinal Biotechnology, Langiewicza 60 Street, 95-050 Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland ' Mabion S.A. Scientific-Industrial Complex of Medicinal Biotechnology, Langiewicza 60 Street, 95-050 Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland ' Mabion S.A. Scientific-Industrial Complex of Medicinal Biotechnology, Langiewicza 60 Street, 95-050 Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland ' Mabion S.A. Scientific-Industrial Complex of Medicinal Biotechnology, Langiewicza 60 Street, 95-050 Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland ' Mabion S.A. Scientific-Industrial Complex of Medicinal Biotechnology, Langiewicza 60 Street, 95-050 Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland ' Mabion S.A. Scientific-Industrial Complex of Medicinal Biotechnology, Langiewicza 60 Street, 95-050 Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland ' Mabion S.A. Scientific-Industrial Complex of Medicinal Biotechnology, Langiewicza 60 Street, 95-050 Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland ' Medical University of Lodz, Żeligowskiego 7/9 Street, 90-752 Łódź, Poland ' Mabion S.A. Scientific-Industrial Complex of Medicinal Biotechnology, Langiewicza 60 Street, 95-050 Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland

Abstract: The host cell line influences the quality of the recombinant protein produced within it. In the case of monoclonal antibodies, the most frequently chosen hosts are hamster- and mouse-derived cell lines. However, the glycosylation profile of the mAbs generated using these cell lines is expected to be different. In this study, we used the cetuximab protein obtained from the Sp2/0 and CHO cell lines to analyse the content of fucosylated and non-fucosylated glycoforms, as well as structures containing N-glycolylneuraminic acid, N-acetylneuraminic acid and Gal-Gal structures. Our results confirm literature data suggesting a higher level of fucosylated glycoforms and a higher level of N-acetylneuraminic acid in CHO- over Sp2/0-derived cetuximab. We also confirm the lack of Gal-Gal structures in the CHO-derived antibody. Moreover, we have demonstrated the Sp2/0- and CHO-derived IgG may have a comparable non-fucosylated glycoforms content. This is a significant find, since non-fucosylated species are the triggers of the biological activities of many antibodies.

Keywords: antibodies; antibody production; bioanalysis; biosimilars; biotechnology; cetuximab; cell lines; Chinese hamster ovary cell line; glycoproteins; glycosylation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBT.2023.138705

International Journal of Biotechnology, 2023 Vol.14 No.4, pp.277 - 292

Received: 11 Jan 2022
Accepted: 16 Mar 2023
Published online: 29 May 2024 *

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