Propagation kinetics of retrovirus transgene vector and replication-competent retrovirus in static and microcarrier cell culture systems using different medium exchange strategies

While retrovirus vector (RV) is the main virus vector used in human gene therapy trials, the biosafety issues that surround currently used RVs have become a matter of concern. Similar to the insertional mutagenesis in the therapeutic target cells, the generation of replication-competent retrovirus (RCR) must be minimized during the manufacture of the virus vector. This work investigated the kinetics of RV and RCR production in PA317-RCM1 producer cells in static and microcarrier cell culture systems. RCR in the progeny of transduced Mus dunni cells was detected by the PCR method and the titer of RCR was quantified by cell-based S+/L− assay. The specific rates of RCR production in microcarrier cultures were 271–462% higher than those in the static well-plate cultures. Increased medium exchange operations yielded higher specific rates of RCR production in both static and microcarrier cultures. The optimal medium exchange strategy was on an every 2-day schedule, yielding the highest RV/RCR ratio in static culture but not microcarrier culture. Results of this study presented the difficulty for gene therapy processes that together with the product RV also unwanted RCR produced in two different cell culture systems.