High level expression of human prourokinase cDNA in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

We have used Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to express high levels of human prourokinase gene cDNA with recourse to construction of good expression vector, the improvement of transfection technique and gene coamplification. First, we constructed expression plasmid pMG10102 by placing pro-UK cDNA under the control of SR alpha promoter/SV40 polyadenylation signals and expressed it transiently in COS-7 cells. Expression level was about 5 times higher than with SV40 early promoter. Linear plasmids pMG10102 and pSV2-dhfr were then cotransfected into CHO-dhfr cells by calcium phosphorate coprecipitation and cells were cultured in selective medium. Twenty transformants expressing pro-UK were picked, the range of expression levels was 12.5-100IU/10(6) cells/day. When subjected to stepwise selection of methotrexate (MTX), the stable cell lines were obtained that secreted up to 400-500IU/10(6) cells/day. Western blot analysis showed that molecular weight of secreted recombinant pro-UK was the same as that of natural pro-UK, which is 52 kDa, and more than 60% of expression production was single chain urokinase (rscUK) without protease inhibitor in medium.