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The role of Bcl-2 and its combined effect with p21CIP1 in adaptation of CHO cells to suspension and protein-free culture

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Abstract

The overexpression of the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2 has been previously shown to protect cells from undergoing apoptosis during exposure to environmental stress. There is strong evidence that, in addition to its well-known effects on apoptosis, Bcl-2 is involved in antioxidant protection and regulation of cell cycle progression. To determine if the overexpression of Bcl-2 could improve the process of adaptation to suspension and protein-free growth environments, we have studied the growth and viability of anchorage-dependent Chinese hamster ovary cell lines that differ only in there expression of Bcl-2. In addition, we examined the effect of combining Bcl-2 and p21CIP1 expression during adaptation to suspension and protein-free environments. The results of this study provide evidence of a clear reduction in the overall time required for the process of adaptation to both suspension and protein-free environments in Bcl-2 expressing cultures and that through the combined expression of p21CIP1 and Bcl-2, it is possible to further reduce the time. The Bcl-2 results support the well-demonstrated concept that this protein plays an important role in apoptotic signaling pathways and suggest that it may also provide more diverse functions beside its death-inhibiting role.

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Acknowledgments

The parental cell line CHO 22H11 was supplied by Lonza Biologics. This work is partially funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK

    Kelly Astley & Mohamed Al-Rubeai

  2. School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Kelly Astley & Mohamed Al-Rubeai

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  1. Kelly Astley
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  2. Mohamed Al-Rubeai
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Correspondence to Mohamed Al-Rubeai.

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Astley, K., Al-Rubeai, M. The role of Bcl-2 and its combined effect with p21CIP1 in adaptation of CHO cells to suspension and protein-free culture. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 78, 391–399 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-007-1320-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-007-1320-2

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