GlycoDelete engineering of mammalian cells simplifies N-glycosylation of recombinant proteins

Heterogeneity in the N-glycans on therapeutic proteins causes difficulties for protein purification and process reproducibility and can lead to variable therapeutic efficacy. This heterogeneity arises from the multistep process of mammalian complex-type N-glycan synthesis. Here we report a glycoengineering strategy--which we call GlycoDelete--that shortens the Golgi N-glycosylation pathway in mammalian cells. This shortening results in the expression of proteins with small, sialylated trisaccharide N-glycans and reduced complexity compared to native mammalian cell glycoproteins. GlycoDelete engineering does not interfere with the functioning of N-glycans in protein folding, and the physiology of cells modified by GlycoDelete is similar to that of wild-type cells. A therapeutic human IgG expressed in GlycoDelete cells had properties, such as reduced initial clearance, that might be beneficial when the therapeutic goal is antigen neutralization. This strategy for reducing N-glycan heterogeneity on mammalian proteins could lead to more consistent performance of therapeutic proteins and modulation of biopharmaceutical functions.