title: The role of Bcl-2 and its combined effect with p21CIP1 in adaptation of CHO cells to suspension and protein-free culture.
abstract: The overexpression of the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2 has been previously shown to protect cells from undergoing apoptosis during exposure to environmental stress. There is strong evidence that, in addition to its well-known effects on apoptosis, Bcl-2 is involved in antioxidant protection and regulation of cell cycle progression. To determine if the overexpression of Bcl-2 could improve the process of adaptation to suspension and protein-free growth environments, we have studied the growth and viability of anchorage-dependent Chinese hamster ovary cell lines that differ only in there expression of Bcl-2. In addition, we examined the effect of combining Bcl-2 and p21CIP1 expression during adaptation to suspension and protein-free environments. The results of this study provide evidence of a clear reduction in the overall time required for the process of adaptation to both suspension and protein-free environments in Bcl-2 expressing cultures and that through the combined expression of p21CIP1 and Bcl-2, it is possible to further reduce the time. The Bcl-2 results support the well-demonstrated concept that this protein plays an important role in apoptotic signaling pathways and suggest that it may also provide more diverse functions beside its death-inhibiting role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Astley
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Rubeai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D002452:Cell Count; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2