Characterization of Cell Growth and Camptothecin Production in Cell Cultures of Camptotheca acuminata

Studies were made to elucidate the cell growth and the production of camptothecin and its derivatives in cell cultures of Camptotheca acuminata. High resolution HPLC chromatograms to analyze camptothecin and 10-hydroxycamptothecin in lactone and carboxylate forms were obtained with a fluorescence detector. Calli inductions were optimized with the young stem of explant on Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) medium supplemented with 5 mg/l $\alpha$-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 0.2 mg/l 6-benzylamino purine (BAP), 2.0% sucrose, and 0.5% agar. The hybrid medium, a mixture of SH and Murashige and Skoog (MS) salts, was developed for homogeneous suspension cultures without large cell aggregates. The optimum phytohormone concentrations for successful suspension cultures were 1.0mg/l of 2,4-D and 0.5 mg/l of kinetin. The highest growth in suspension cultures was observed when 49.7% (w/w) of the cells was composed of small aggregates which were below 0.1 mm in diameter. Time course changes of cell growth and camptothecin production showed that camptothecin accumulation was started at the end of the growth phase and the maximum content was obtained 10 days after inoculation. Yeast extract elicitor increased camptothecin accumulation 4 times. Methyl jasmonate and jasmonic acid also increased camptothecin production 6 and 11 times, respectively.