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Abstract: The dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr)/methotrexate (MTX) selection is a common method to conduct gene amplification in stable clones of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. We previously reported the use of a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) vector targeted to the dhfr gene resulted in improving the intracellular antigen expression in gene-amplified stable CHO cells [Hong, W.W., Wu, S.C., 2007. A novel RNA silencing vector to improve antigen expression and stability in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Vaccine 25 (20), 4103–4111]. Here we investigated the use of the dhfr-targeted shRNA vector for immunoglobulin G (IgG) expression in gene-amplified stable CHO cells. With the use of the dhfr-targeted shRNA vector, the gene-amplified CHO/dhFr− cells were found to increase IgG expression at 1.0μM MTX by more than 100% and to improve the genomic stability of IgG expression in MTX-free cultures by approximately 30%. The use of the dhfr-targeted shRNA vector can enhance the IgG expression in the gene-amplified stable CHO cells and uphold the IgG expression in MTX-free cultures. Utilizing the dhfr-targeted shRNA vector may provide an alternative way to maneuver CHO cell factories for IgG production in cultures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Several small-scale studies have reported pulmonary toxicity among patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) receiving rituximab-containing chemotherapy, though whether the use of rituximab predisposes to interstitial pneumonia (IP) remains unclear. This retrospective study was intended to identify the characteristics and risk factors of IP in patients with DLBCL. Between 2000 and 2009, 529 consecutive patients with DLBCL receiving first-line tri-weekly COP- or CHOP-based chemotherapy with or without rituximab were enrolled as subjects. IP was defined as diffuse pulmonary interstitial infiltrates found on computed tomography scans in conjunction with respiratory symptoms. IP was observed in 26 patients (4.9%), six of whom were confirmed with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia. The median number of chemotherapy courses before IP was four cycles. Using multivariate analysis, absolute lymphocyte count less than 1×10(9)/l at diagnosis [odds ratio (OR) 2.75, p=0.014] and the addition of rituximab to chemotherapy (OR 4.56, p=0.003) were identified as independent risk factors for IP. In conclusion, the incidence of IP is increased in patients with DLBCL receiving rituximab-containing chemotherapy. Specific subgroups with lymphopenia at diagnosis may justify close scrutiny to detect pulmonary complications.