Detection of baculovirus-infected insect cells by flow cytometric side-scatter analyses.

Background: The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS), utilizing the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV), has turned out to be an attractive alternative for high-level expression (<600 mg/l) of recombinant proteins. However, there is a shortage of reliable methods for monitoring the infection process in situations where marker proteins cannot be used.

Methods: Three recombinant baculoviruses, FastBac1-wtGFP, VTBac-GFP, and VL1392-hIL-2Ralpha, all having the genes inserted under the transcriptional control of the polyhedrin gene promoter of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV), were used to infect Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) and Mamestra brassicae (IZD-MB-0503) insect cells.

Homogeneous time-resolved IL-2-IL-2R alpha assay using fluorescence resonance energy transfer.

A homogeneous receptor-ligand assay based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer is described. In the assay, recombinant human interleukin 2 (IL-2) and a monoclonal antibody against the human IL-2 receptor alpha chain were labelled with a highly fluorescent europium chelate and Cy5, respectively. As a result of a successful receptor-ligand complex formation, these labels are brought into close proximity, which will thereby allow an energy transfer to occur from the donor (europium) to the acceptor (Cy5), upon excitation of the donor.

Solid phase IL-2-IL-2R alpha assay with time resolved fluorometry.

A time-resolved fluorometric, solid phase, receptor ligand interaction assay is described. The assay consists of wells coated with anti-human IL-2 receptor alpha (hIL-2R alpha) monoclonal antibodies (mAb), europium labelled hIL2 (Eu-IL-2) and human recombinant IL-2 receptor alpha subunits expressed in the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS). In the assay hIL-2R alpha-Eu-IL-2 complexes bind to the solid phase mAb.

Expression of the mouse interleukin-2 receptor gamma chain in insect cells using a baculovirus expression vector--comparison with the human common gamma chain.

The gene encoding the gamma-chain of the mouse Interleukin-2 receptor was expressed in lepidopteran insect cells using the baculovirus expression vector system. The corresponding gene was inserted under the polyhedrin promoter of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus and expressed in the Spodoptera frugiperda insect cell line Sf9 during viral infection. The recombinant receptor protein was identified by immunoblotting in cell lysates prepared from insect cells infected with the produced recombinant virus VL1392-mIL-2R gamma.