Continuous influenza virus production in a tubular bioreactor system provides stable titers and avoids the "von Magnus effect".

Continuous cell culture-based influenza vaccine production could significantly reduce footprint and manufacturing costs compared to current batch processing. However, yields of influenza virus in continuous mode can be affected by oscillations in virus titers caused by periodic accumulation of defec...

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Main Authors: Felipe Tapia, Daniel Wohlfarth, Volker Sandig, Ingo Jordan, Yvonne Genzel, Udo Reichl
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0224317
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author Felipe Tapia
Daniel Wohlfarth
Volker Sandig
Ingo Jordan
Yvonne Genzel
Udo Reichl
author_facet Felipe Tapia
Daniel Wohlfarth
Volker Sandig
Ingo Jordan
Yvonne Genzel
Udo Reichl
author_sort Felipe Tapia
collection DOAJ
description Continuous cell culture-based influenza vaccine production could significantly reduce footprint and manufacturing costs compared to current batch processing. However, yields of influenza virus in continuous mode can be affected by oscillations in virus titers caused by periodic accumulation of defective interfering particles. The generation of such particles has also been observed previously in cascades of continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) and is known as the "von Magnus effect". To improve virus yields and to avoid these oscillations, we have developed a novel continuous tubular bioreactor system for influenza A virus production. It was built using a 500 mL CSTR for cell growth linked to a 105 m long tubular plug-flow bioreactor (PFBR). Virus propagation took place only in the PFBR with a nominal residence time of 20 h and a production capacity of 0.2 mL/min. The bioreactor was first tested with suspension MDCK cells at different multiplicities of infection (MOI), and then with suspension avian AGE1.CR.pIX cells at a fixed nominal MOI of 0.02. Maximum hemagglutinin (HA) titers of 2.4 and 1.6 log10(HA units/100 μL) for suspension MDCK cells and AGE1.CR.pIX cells, respectively, were obtained. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that 100% infected cells with batch-like HA titers can be obtained at a MOI of at least 0.1. Stable HA and TCID50 titers over 18 days of production were confirmed using the AGE1.CR.pIX cell line, and PCR analysis demonstrated stable production of full-length genome. The contamination level of segments with deletions (potentially defective interfering particles), already present in the virus seed, was low and did not increase. Control experiments using batch and semi-continuous cultures confirmed these findings. A comparison showed that influenza virus production can be achieved with the tubular bioreactor system in about half the time with a space-time-yield up to two times higher than for typical batch cultures. In summary, a novel continuous tubular bioreactor system for cell culture-based influenza virus production was developed. One main advantage, an essentially single-passage amplification of viruses, should enable efficient production of vaccines as well as vectors for gene and cancer therapy.
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spelling doaj.art-536581dfa0bc4610a958c96e99f17a0a2022-12-21T23:09:40ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032019-01-011411e022431710.1371/journal.pone.0224317Continuous influenza virus production in a tubular bioreactor system provides stable titers and avoids the "von Magnus effect".Felipe TapiaDaniel WohlfarthVolker SandigIngo JordanYvonne GenzelUdo ReichlContinuous cell culture-based influenza vaccine production could significantly reduce footprint and manufacturing costs compared to current batch processing. However, yields of influenza virus in continuous mode can be affected by oscillations in virus titers caused by periodic accumulation of defective interfering particles. The generation of such particles has also been observed previously in cascades of continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) and is known as the "von Magnus effect". To improve virus yields and to avoid these oscillations, we have developed a novel continuous tubular bioreactor system for influenza A virus production. It was built using a 500 mL CSTR for cell growth linked to a 105 m long tubular plug-flow bioreactor (PFBR). Virus propagation took place only in the PFBR with a nominal residence time of 20 h and a production capacity of 0.2 mL/min. The bioreactor was first tested with suspension MDCK cells at different multiplicities of infection (MOI), and then with suspension avian AGE1.CR.pIX cells at a fixed nominal MOI of 0.02. Maximum hemagglutinin (HA) titers of 2.4 and 1.6 log10(HA units/100 μL) for suspension MDCK cells and AGE1.CR.pIX cells, respectively, were obtained. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that 100% infected cells with batch-like HA titers can be obtained at a MOI of at least 0.1. Stable HA and TCID50 titers over 18 days of production were confirmed using the AGE1.CR.pIX cell line, and PCR analysis demonstrated stable production of full-length genome. The contamination level of segments with deletions (potentially defective interfering particles), already present in the virus seed, was low and did not increase. Control experiments using batch and semi-continuous cultures confirmed these findings. A comparison showed that influenza virus production can be achieved with the tubular bioreactor system in about half the time with a space-time-yield up to two times higher than for typical batch cultures. In summary, a novel continuous tubular bioreactor system for cell culture-based influenza virus production was developed. One main advantage, an essentially single-passage amplification of viruses, should enable efficient production of vaccines as well as vectors for gene and cancer therapy.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0224317
spellingShingle Felipe Tapia
Daniel Wohlfarth
Volker Sandig
Ingo Jordan
Yvonne Genzel
Udo Reichl
Continuous influenza virus production in a tubular bioreactor system provides stable titers and avoids the "von Magnus effect".
PLoS ONE
title Continuous influenza virus production in a tubular bioreactor system provides stable titers and avoids the "von Magnus effect".
title_full Continuous influenza virus production in a tubular bioreactor system provides stable titers and avoids the "von Magnus effect".
title_fullStr Continuous influenza virus production in a tubular bioreactor system provides stable titers and avoids the "von Magnus effect".
title_full_unstemmed Continuous influenza virus production in a tubular bioreactor system provides stable titers and avoids the "von Magnus effect".
title_short Continuous influenza virus production in a tubular bioreactor system provides stable titers and avoids the "von Magnus effect".
title_sort continuous influenza virus production in a tubular bioreactor system provides stable titers and avoids the von magnus effect
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0224317
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