Production of a monoclonal antibody in plants with a humanized N-glycosylation pattern

Plant Biotechnol J. 2007 Sep;5(5):657-63. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7652.2007.00273.x.

Abstract

In recent years, plants have become an attractive alternative for the production of recombinant proteins. However, their inability to perform authentic mammalian N-glycosylation may cause limitations for the production of therapeutics. A major concern is the presence of beta1,2-xylose and core alpha1,3-fucose residues on complex N-linked glycans, as these N-glycan epitopes are immunogenic in mammals. In our attempts towards the humanization of plant N-glycans, we have generated an Arabidopsis thaliana knockout line that synthesizes complex N-glycans lacking immunogenic xylose and fucose epitopes. Here, we report the expression of a monoclonal antibody in these glycan-engineered plants that carry a homogeneous mammalian-like complex N-glycan pattern without beta1,2-xylose and core alpha1,3-fucose. Plant and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-derived immunoglobulins (IgGs) exhibited no differences in electrophoretic mobility and enzyme-linked immunosorbent specificity assays. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of a knockout strategy for N-glycan engineering of plants towards mammalian-like structures, thus providing a significant improvement in the use of plants as an expression platform.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / genetics
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / isolation & purification
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism
  • CHO Cells
  • Cricetinae
  • Cricetulus
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Epitopes / chemistry
  • Epitopes / immunology
  • Gene Deletion
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin G / isolation & purification
  • Immunoglobulin G / metabolism
  • Plant Leaves / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides / immunology*
  • Polysaccharides / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Epitopes
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Polysaccharides
  • Recombinant Proteins