Lena Häggström

Physiology of cultured animal cells

The physiology of cultured animal cells, in particular hybridoma, myeloma and insect cells, with respect to growth and proliferation, amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism and cellular responses to environmental stress is discussed in this paper. The rate of proliferation of hybridoma cells in serum-containing media is limited by growth factors at a surprisingly early stage of growth. To maintain exponential growth in a batch culture, it is necessary to stimulate cell proliferation with repeated additions of serum or pure growth factor. It is further suggested that proliferation of Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9 insect cells), a normal cell line able to grow in a serum-free medium without any added growth factors, is regulated by autocrine growth factors and possibly by other regulatory mechanisms, as Sf9 cells secrete a growth factor (IGF-I) and the medium still appears nutritionally sufficient at the time of cessation of growth. The uptake and metabolism of amino acids is one of the determinants of growth and production. Wasteful overproduction of amino acids in myeloma and hybridoma cells is a result of excess glutamine, and can be avoided by glutamine limitation. Synthesis of amino acids may be conditional, as in Sf9 cells which synthesise glutamine provided that ammonium is supplied to the medium; and cysteine (from methionine) provided that a sufficiently young inoculum is used. Uptake of amino acids in Sf9 cells appears regulated in relation to the proliferative status as there is a distinct cessation of uptake even before growth ceases. The energy metabolism in myeloma, hybridoma and insect cells is a typically substrate-concentration-dependent overflow metabolism. Substrate limitation (glucose and glutamine) decreases by-product formation and increases metabolic efficiency in all these cell lines. However, glutamine limitation, as used in fed-batch cultures (or chemostat cultures) provokes cell death (in parallel to growth) in hybridoma cells in the concentration range below 0.05 mM.

Mechanisms of ammonia and ammonium ion toxicity in animal cells: Transport across cell membranes

A model for transport of ammonia and ammonium ions across cell membranes is presented. The model suggests that ammonium ions compete with potassium ions for inward transport, over the cytoplasmic membrane, via potassium transport proteins like the Na+/K(+)-ATPase and the Na+K+2Cl(-)-cotransporter. It also explains the difference between the ammonia/ammonium that is added to the cells and which is formed by the cells during metabolism of amino acids, especially glutamine and glutamate. The ammonium transport and subsequent events lead to predictable intracellular and extracellular pH (pHe) changes. Experiments which verified the model and the predicted consequences were performed by measurements of the pHe in concentrated cell suspensions. Addition of ammonium ions caused a time-dependent pHe increase which was inhibited by potassium ions. The test system is not per se specific for transport measurements but the effect of potassium ions on the pHe strongly favors our suggested model. Simple diffusion of ammonium ions would not be counteracted by potassium ions. The results show that ammonium ion transport in the murine myeloma cell line (Sp2/0-Ag14) used is inhibited by an excess of potassium ions. Results from experiments with specific inhibitors of suggested transport proteins were not conclusive. It is postulated that one important toxic effect of ammonia/ammonium is an increased demand for maintenance energy, caused by the need to maintain ion gradients over the cytoplasmic membrane. The results also suggest that potassium ions can be used to detoxify ammonia/ammonium in animal cell cultivations.

Calcium alginate immobilized cells of clostridium acetobutylicum for solvent production

ConclusionsImmobilized vegetative cells ofC. acetobutylicum has a similar product formation pattern when incubated in a simple glucose-salts solution as ordinary growing cells. If vegetative cells of the organism are immobilized in the solvent production phase, solvents are continuously produced on extended incubation.By immobi1izing spores of the organism the disturbance of the cells metabolic activity during the immobilization procedure was avoided. After the outgrowth of viable cells within the gel, the washed gel preparation retained at a high production capacity in the non-growth stage and the results indicate that continuous production might be fully possible. The butanol productivity was also found to be higher with immobilized cells than in a normal batch process.

Control of immobilized, non-growing cells for continuous production of metabolites

SummaryA technique for maintaining constant activity during continuous production with immobilized, non-growing cells has been developed. A single stage continuous system with alginate immobilized Clostridium acetobutylicum, was mainly fed with a glucose medium that supported fermentation of acetone-butanol but did not permit microbial growth. The inactivation that occured during these conditions was prevented by pulse-wise addition of nutrients to the reactor.Using this technique the ratio of biomass to butanol was reduced to 2% (w/w) compared to 34% in a traditional batch culture. At steady state conditions butanol was the major end product with a yield coefficient of 0.20 (g/g glucose). The productivity of butanol was 16.8 g/l·day during these conditions. In a corresponding system with immobilized growing cells the ratio of biomass to butanol was 52–76% and the formation of butyric and acetic acid increased thereby reducing the yield coefficient for butanol to 0.11 (g/g). With the intermittent nutrient dosing technique constant activity from immobilized non-growing cells has been achieved for 8 weeks.

Glutamine limited fed-batch culture reduces the overflow metabolism of amino acids in myeloma cells

The murine myeloma cell line Sp 2/0-Ag 14 was cultured in an ordinary batch culture and in a glutamine limited fed-batch culture. In batch culture, the overflow metabolism of glutamine ends in excess production of ammonium and the amino acids alanine, proline, ornithine, asparagine, glutamate, serine and glycine. This pattern was dramatically changed in the fed-batch culture. Glutamine limitation halved the cellular ammonium production and reduced the ratio of NH4+/glutamine. The excess production of alanine, proline and ornithine was reduced by a factor of 2–6 while asparagine was not produced at all. In contrary to the other amino acids glycine production was increased. These results are discussed in view of the different nature of glutamine metabolism in the mitochondrial compartment vs. the cytosolic. Furthermore, essential amino acids were used more efficiently in the fed-batch as judged by the increase in the cellular yield coefficients in the range of 1.3–2.6 times for seven of the 11 consumed ones. In all, this leads to a more efficient use of the energy sources glucose and glutamine as revealed by an increase in the cellular yield coefficient for glucose by 70% and for glutamine by 61%.

Induction of a metabolic switch in insect cells by substrate-limited fed batch cultures

Insect cell metabolism was studied in substrate-limited fed batch cultures of Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-9) cells. Results from a glucose-limited culture, a glutamine-limited culture, a culture limited in both glucose and glutamine and a batch culture were compared. A stringent relation between glucose excess and alanine formation was found. In contrast, glucose limitation induced ammonium formation, while, at the same time, alanine formation was completely suppressed. Simultaneous glucose and glutamine limitation suppressed both alanine and ammonium formation. Although the metabolism was influenced by substrate limitation, the specific growth rate was similar in all cultures. Alanine formation must involve incorporation of free ammonium, if ammonium formation is mediated by glutaminase and glutamate dehydrogenase, as our data suggest. On the basis of the results, two possible pathways for the formation of alanine in the intermediary metabolism in insect cells are suggested. The cellular yield on glucose was increased 6.6 times during glucose limitation, independently of the cellular yield on glutamine, which was increased 50–100 times during glutamine limitation. The results indicate that alanine overflow metabolism is energetically wasteful and that glutamine is a dispensable amino acid for cultured Sf-9 cells. Preliminary data confirm that glutamine can be synthesised by the cells themselves in amounts sufficient to support growth.

Pathways of glutamine metabolism in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells: evidence for the presence of the nitrogen assimilation system, and a metabolic switch by 1H/15N NMR☆

1H/15N and 13C NMR were used to investigate metabolism in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells. Labelled substrates ([2-15N]glutamine, [5-15N]glutamine, [2-15N]glutamate, 15NH4Cl, [2-15N]alanine, and [1-13C]glucose) were added to batch cultures and the concentration of labelled excreted metabolites (alanine, NH4+, glutamine, glycerol, and lactate) were quantified. Cultures with excess glucose and glutamine produce alanine as the main metabolic by-product while no ammonium ions are released. 1H/15N NMR data showed that both the amide and amine-nitrogen of glutamine was incorporated into alanine in these cultures. The amide-nitrogen of glutamine was not transferred to the amine-position in glutamate (for further transamination to alanine) via free NH4+ but directly via an azaserine inhibitable amido-transfer reaction. In glutamine-free media 15NH4+ was consumed and incorporated into alanine. 15NH4+ was also incorporated into the amide-position of glutamine synthesised by the cells. These data suggest that the nitrogen assimilation system, glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase (NADH-GOGAT), is active in glutamine-deprived cells. In cultures devoid of glucose, ammonium is the main metabolic by-product while no alanine is formed. The ammonium ions stem both from the amide and amine-nitrogen of glutamine, most likely via glutaminase and glutamate dehydrogenase. 13C NMR revealed that the [1-13C] label from glucose appeared in glycerol, alanine, lactate, and in extracellular glutamine. Labelling data also showed that intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle were recycled to glycolysis and that carbon sources, other than glucose-derived acetylCoA, entered the cycle. Furthermore, Sf9 cell cultures excreted significant amounts glycerol (1.9-3.2 mM) and ethanol (6 mM), thus highlighting the importance of sinks for reducing equivalents in maintaining the cytosolic redox balance.

Control of cell adhesion and activity during continuous production of acetone and butanol with adsorbed cells

A stable system for continuous production of acetone and butanol from Clostridium acetobutylicum adsorbed to beechwood shavings has been developed. Different adsorption procedures, influenced by the nutritional conditions in the reactor, were investigated. The cells were kept in a non-growing but active state by a previously developed nutrient dosing technique which also reduced the cell leakage. The system could be operated with maintained activity and very low cell leakage for weeks.

Correlation of theoretical and experimental yields of phenylalanine from non-growing cells of a rec Escherichia coli strain

Phenylalanine production from an auxotrophic plasmid-harboring Escherichia coli mutant (E. coli W3110 Δtrp, Δtyr, Δphe/pJN6 carrying the genes aroF, pheAFBR, TcR and ApR) was studied in batch cultures. Phenylalanine was produced in the stationary phase due to the release of feed-back inhibition after depletion of tyrosine. The physiological state of the inoculum seriously affected the kinetics of phenylalanine production. The specific rate of phenylalanine production reached a maximum directly after cessation of growth and the production continued for at least 40 h. During an interval in this period the specific rate of phenylalanine production remained constant while the specific rate of glucose consumption decreased resulting in a yield of phenylalanine from glucose (0.27 g g−1) that corresponded to the estimated maximum theoretical yield coefficient. Detailed analyses of carbon balances showed that before and after this period a by-product not coupled to carbon dioxide production was formed. During the specific interval all glucose consumed was finally recovered in produced phenylalanine and carbon dioxide. This situation can only be achieved with non-growing cells.

Elevated glutamate dehydrogenase flux in glucose-deprived hybridoma and myeloma cells: Evidence from 1H/15N NMR

The glutamine metabolism was studied in glucose-starved and glucose-sufficient hybridoma and Sp2/0-Ag14 myeloma cells. Glucose starvation was attained by cultivating the hybridoma cells with fructose instead of glucose, and the myeloma cells with a low initial glucose concentration which was rapidly exhausted. Glutamine used in the experiments was labeled with 15N, either in the amine or in the amide position. The fate of the label was monitored by 1H/15N NMR analysis of released 15NH+4 and 15N-alanine. Thus, NH+4 formed via glutaminase (GLNase) could be distinguished from NH+4 formed via glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). In the glucose-sufficient cells a small but measurable amount of 15NH+4 released by GDH could be detected in both cell lines (0.75 and 0.31 micromole/10(6) cells for hybridoma and myeloma cells, respectively). The uptake of glutamine and the total production of NH+4 was significantly increased in both fructose-grown hybridoma and glucose-starved myeloma cells, as compared to the glucose-sufficient cells. The increased NH+4 production was due to an increased throughput via GLNase (1.6 -1.9-fold in the hybridoma, and 2.7-fold in the myeloma cell line) and an even further increased metabolism via GDH (4.8-7.9-fold in the hybridoma cells, and 3.1-fold in the myeloma cells). The data indicate that both GLNase and GDH are down-regulated when glucose is in excess, but up-regulated in glucose-starved cells. It was calculated that the maximum potential ATP production from glutamine could increase by 35-40 % in the fructose-grown hybridoma cells, mainly due to the increased metabolism via GDH.