PTX3 is a secreted multimeric glycoprotein which plays a key role in innate immunity by activating the classical complement pathway through specific recognition of the C1q Subunit. A method is described for the high level expression of the recombinant human PTX3 in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO), adapted to a Suspension growth in spinner flasks containing a serum-free chemically defined medium and producing about 50 mg of PTX3/L Of Culture. A purification procedure to produce a homogeneous protein preparation from the supernatant, by means of anion exchange, hydroxyapatite and size exclusion chromatography, is also reported. This three-step protocol allows Lis to obtain PTX3 with a recovery yield close to 70%, a purity degree exceeding 95%, and a final host cell protein (HCP) content lower than 150ppm. The recombinant purified PTX3 retains its biological activity, as demonstrated by C1q binding ELISA assay, and displays a complex quaternary structure characterized by a high secondary structure content quite different from human short pentraxin C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid P component (SAP), as determined by Circular dichroism, fluorescence analysis, and native and SDS-PAGE experiments. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.