Development of a THP-1 Assay Ready Product for Cell-Based Assays

Cell-based assays are extensively used in both research and industry settings for a wide variety of applications including target identification, drug development, and compound toxicity testing. A major challenge when using cell-based assays is the inherent variability of cultured cells. The parameters that contribute to this variability include cell culture practice, phenotypic drift associated with long-term cell cultivation, and biomaterials resourced from different labs. The disadvantages of maintaining continuous culture have driven the need for cell products that are ready for immediate use in cell-based assays. 

Here, we report the development of ATCC TIB-202-AR, a standardized assay-ready cell (ARC) product utilizing the ATCC TIB-202 THP-1 cell line—a commonly used and physiologically relevant cell model that is known to be difficult to handle. During product development and manufacturing, high standards and strict cell culture processes were used for maintaining the characteristics and authenticity of the culture, and a proprietary animal by-product (ABP)-free cryomedium was developed to freeze the cells. 

ATCC TIB-202-AR was manufactured to meet the defined specifications for low intra-lot and inter-lot variation and demonstrates repeatability in achieving optimal performance in cell-based assays. It consistently exhibits high viability, fast recovery post-thaw, and the ability to differentiate into macrophage-like cells that express the appropriate macrophage markers and display the expected functional attributes. Our THP-1 ARC product offers improvements in use of laboratory resources, experiment scheduling, and assay robustness and variability, allowing for extensive study of biopharmaceuticals while avoiding the lengthy and costly development normally required for establishing cell-based assays.