Work

Impact of partial oxygen pressure on Zika-VLP production using Sf-9 rhabdovirus negative (Sf-RVN®) insect cell line

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Zika virus (ZIKV) causes congenital and neurological complications, but no approved vaccine or therapy is available. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are a promising vaccine platform, and dissolved oxygen is a critical parameter in insect cell bioprocesses. This study evaluated how partial oxygen pressure (pO 2 ) affects ZIKV-VLP production in the rhabdovirus-negative Spodoptera frugiperda Sf-RVN® cell line, grown in chemically defined medium and infected with a recombinant baculovirus encoding capsid, membrane precursor, and envelope proteins. Cells were cultivated at 30%, 20%, and 10% air saturation pO 2 , and growth, cell death, oxygen uptake, baculovirus production, and envelope protein expression were analyzed. Sf-RVN® cells produced ZIKV-VLPs under all conditions, with physiological behavior comparable to Sf-9 cells. Among the pO 2 conditions evaluated, 30% pO 2 yielded the highest specific envelope protein production rate (22.5 pg 10 6 cells -1 h -1 ) and volumetric productivity (32.2 pg mL -1 h -1 ). The VLPs showed sizes and structural features consistent with previous reports. These results support Sf-RVN® cells as a safe and consistent platform for ZIKV-VLP production.

Source: Virology

DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2026.111139