Transient co-expression for fast and high-yield production of antibodies with human-like N-glycans in plants

Plant Biotechnol J. 2009 Jun;7(5):442-55. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7652.2009.00414.x.

Abstract

Plant-based transient expression is potentially the most rapid and cost-efficient system for the production of recombinant pharmaceutical proteins, but safety concerns associated with plant-specific N-glycosylation have hampered its adoption as a commercial production system. In this article, we describe an approach based on the simultaneous transient co-expression of an antibody, a suppressor of silencing and a chimaeric human beta1,4-galactosyltransferase targeted for optimal activity to the early secretory pathway in agroinfiltrated Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. This strategy allows fast and high-yield production of antibodies with human-like N-glycans and, more generally, provides solutions to many critical problems posed by the large-scale production of therapeutic and vaccinal proteins, specifically yield, volume and quality.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / biosynthesis*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / isolation & purification
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin G / isolation & purification
  • N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase / genetics
  • N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase / metabolism
  • Nicotiana / genetics
  • Nicotiana / metabolism*
  • Plant Leaves / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / metabolism
  • Polysaccharides / metabolism*
  • Protein Engineering / methods*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Polysaccharides
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase