Characterization and expression of proprotein convertases in CHO cells: Efficient proteolytic maturation of human bone morphogenetic protein-7.

Bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) is synthesized as a precursor that requires proteolytic cleavage of the propeptide by proprotein convertases (PCs) for its functional activity. A high-level expression of BMP-7 in CHO cells (CHO-BMP-7) resulted in secretion of a mixture of inactive precursor and active BMP-7. In an effort to achieve efficient processing of BMP-7 in CHO cells, PCs responsible for cleavage of the precursors in CHO cells were characterized.

Overexpression of PACEsol improves BMP-7 processing in recombinant CHO cells.

Bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) is a member of the TGF-β superfamily and plays a critical role in cartilage, bone, and kidney development. BMP-7 is synthesized as a large precursor and undergoes proteolytic cleavage by subtilisin-like proprotein convertase to secrete the functionally active mature dimer. When CHO cells producing recombinant human BMP-7 (rhBMP) (CHO-BMP-7) were cultivated in a serum-free suspension culture, a significant amount of unwanted precursor forms of rhBMP-7 (ca.