The effect of fatty acids on hybridoma cell growth and antibody productivity in serum-free cultures.

A murine B-lymphocyte hybridoma (CC9C10) was adapted for growth in a serum-free medium. Supplementation of the medium with cis-unsaturated fatty acids (10-50 microM) improved the cell yield in the order oleic/linoleic > linoleic > oleic. Initial supplementation with the fatty acids also caused a significant increase (58%) in the volumetric Mab titre. Continued growth of the cells in the fatty acid supplemented media over five culture passages resulted in a gradual deterioration of the Mab yield concomitant with the appearance of lipid inclusions in the cytosol. The higher Mab yield could be restored by a limited period of growth of the lipid-loaded cells in fatty acid-free medium. These effects were independent of growth rate. This suggests that the optimal intracellular lipid content is finely balanced between a reduced and an overloaded state. Specific glucose and glutamine utilisation rates were unaffected by the presence of fatty acids. Also, the optimal glucose and glutamine concentrations for growth were independent of the fatty acids.