Propagation of a mouse myeloma cell line J558L producing human CD4 immunoglobulin G1.

Transfected mouse myeloma cells are of increasing interest for the production of a wide variety of solubilised recombinant fusion proteins. A stably transfected J558L mouse myeloma subclone (J558L-CD4) secreting human CD4-immunoglobulin type G1 receptor (CD4-H gamma 1) was employed as a model system for cell suspension culture and expression of chimaeric molecules. Cells were grown up to 3-5 x 10(6) cells/ml in serum-free and protein-reduced DHI medium consisting of a mixture of DMEM, HamF12 and IMDM media supplemented with transferrin, insulin, Primatone RL and Pluronic F68. Primatone RL was the essential growth-promoting factor in protein-free medium. The soluble CD4-H gamma 1 receptor, the production of which was not growth-associated, accumulated in the medium to concentrations of 40 micrograms/ml with a specific formation rate of 0.18 micrograms/10(6) cells/h in conventional cultures. The cell density was further increased by growing the cells in dialysis tubing or by using a perfusion system with cell retention. Because of the continuous exchange of nutrients and metabolic end-products average concentrations of 35 x 10(6) cells/ml were achieved. CD4-H gamma 1 accumulated in the dialysis tubing up to 1.3 mg/ml. After an initial rapid growth period, a ten-fold reduction in specific nutrient consumption rates and metabolic end-product formation was observed. Chimaeric proteins purified by protein G chromatography from conventional and perfusion cultures were indistinguishable when compared by SDS-PAGE, limited proteolysis and isoelectric focusing analysis (isoelectric point: 8.5-8.6).