The Effects Of Stromal Cells On Tumor Cell Growth Under Low Oxygenic Conditions

Eric Chen

School Name

Dutch Fork High School

Grade Level

11th Grade

Presentation Topic

Cell and Molecular Biology

Presentation Type

Mentored

Mentor

Mentor: Dr Peisheng Xu; Univeristy of South Carolina

Oral Presentation Award

3rd Place

Abstract

Cancer is a major cause of death, and considerable research has been done to / determine factors for its diagnosis and prognosis. As cancer tumor cells rapidly / reproduce, they use up the available oxygen in an area, creating a condition / known as hypoxia. Normal cells, like immune cells, are unable to tolerate this, but / tumor cells continue to proliferate. Current research indicates that tumor cells are / able to change their metabolism and energy production pathways to cope with / hypoxia. However, research also indicates that stromal cells interact closely with / tumor cells, with potentially significant consequences that may affect their / survival. My project shows that under hypoxia, tumor cells survive better when / cocultured with their associated fibroblasts than when cultured alone. Fibroblasts, / on the other hand, did not undergo noticeable change. This suggests that / interactions between the cells significantly affected the tumor cells' ability to / withstand hypoxia. Future research will identify this interaction, and ultimately / eliminate it to make tumor cells more sensitive to treatments.

Location

Owens 201

Start Date

4-16-2016 8:30 AM

COinS
 
Apr 16th, 8:30 AM

The Effects Of Stromal Cells On Tumor Cell Growth Under Low Oxygenic Conditions

Owens 201

Cancer is a major cause of death, and considerable research has been done to / determine factors for its diagnosis and prognosis. As cancer tumor cells rapidly / reproduce, they use up the available oxygen in an area, creating a condition / known as hypoxia. Normal cells, like immune cells, are unable to tolerate this, but / tumor cells continue to proliferate. Current research indicates that tumor cells are / able to change their metabolism and energy production pathways to cope with / hypoxia. However, research also indicates that stromal cells interact closely with / tumor cells, with potentially significant consequences that may affect their / survival. My project shows that under hypoxia, tumor cells survive better when / cocultured with their associated fibroblasts than when cultured alone. Fibroblasts, / on the other hand, did not undergo noticeable change. This suggests that / interactions between the cells significantly affected the tumor cells' ability to / withstand hypoxia. Future research will identify this interaction, and ultimately / eliminate it to make tumor cells more sensitive to treatments.