title: Metabolic engineering of apoptosis in cultured animal cells: implications for the biotechnology industry.
abstract: Animal cells have been widely used to obtain a wide range of products for human and animal healthcare applications. However, the extreme sensitivity of these cells in respect to changes experienced in their environment is evidenced by the activation of a gene-encoded program known as apoptosis, resulting in their death and destruction. From the bioprocess angle, losses in cell viability bring lower productivities and higher risks of product degradation. Consequently, many research efforts have been devoted to the development of apoptosis protective mechanisms, including the metabolic engineering of apoptosis pathways, that has proven effective in diminishing programmed cell death in a variety of biotechnological relevant cell lines. This review is focused especially in the encouraging initial results obtained with the over-expression of cloned anti-apoptosis genes, from both endogenous and viral origin interfering at mitochondrial and initiator caspases levels.
authors.affiliation: Deptartament d'Enginyeria Química (UAB), Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria, ETSE, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, U.A.B., 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vives
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Juanola
authors.forename: Jordi Joan
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cairó
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gòdia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D024861:Genetic Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D020169:Caspases