293SF metabolic flux analysis during cell growth and infection with an adenoviral vector

Metabolic flux quantification of cell culture is becoming a crucial means to improve cell growth as well as protein and vector productions. The technique allows rapid determination of cell culture status, thus providing a tool for further feeding improvements. Herein, we report on key results of a metabolic investigation using 293 cells adapted to suspension and serum-free medium (293SF) during growth and infection with an adenoviral vector encoding the green fluorescence protein (GFP). The model developed contains 35 fluxes, which include the main fluxes of glycolysis, glutaminolysis, and amino acids pathways. It requires specific consumption and production rate measurements of amino acids, glucose, lactate, NH(3), and O(2), as well as DNA and total proteins biosynthesis rate measurements. Also, it was found that extracellular protein concentration measurement is important for flux calculation accuracy. With this model, we are able to describe the 293SF cell metabolism, grown under different culture conditions in a 3-L controlled bioreactor for batch and fed-batch with low glucose. The metabolism is also investigated during infection under two different feeding strategies: a fed-batch starting at the end of the growth phase and extending during infection without medium change and a fed-batch after infection following medium renewal. Differences in metabolism are observed between growth and infection, as well as between the different feeding strategies, thus providing a better understanding of the general metabolism.