The Effect of Stromal Cells on Tumor Cell Growth Under Hypoxia

School Name

Dutch Fork High School

Grade Level

12th Grade

Presentation Topic

Cell and Molecular Biology

Presentation Type

Mentored

Mentor

Mentor: Peisheng Xu, University of South Carolina

Written Paper Award

3rd Place

Abstract

Tumorigenesis has been considered to be as a result of abnormal cell-cell communication. Although it is known that the tumor-associated microenvironment often becomes hypoxic, how stromal cells influence tumor cell growth in this microenvironment is largely unknown. In this study, we found 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. Further ELISA array analysis identified several growth factors, including fibroblast growth factor 2 and Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, which may mediate this interaction. These results suggest that blockage of tumor-stroma interactions by elimination of these mediators may make tumor cells more sensitive to treatments.

Location

Wall 209

Start Date

3-25-2017 10:15 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 25th, 10:15 AM

The Effect of Stromal Cells on Tumor Cell Growth Under Hypoxia

Wall 209

Tumorigenesis has been considered to be as a result of abnormal cell-cell communication. Although it is known that the tumor-associated microenvironment often becomes hypoxic, how stromal cells influence tumor cell growth in this microenvironment is largely unknown. In this study, we found 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. Further ELISA array analysis identified several growth factors, including fibroblast growth factor 2 and Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, which may mediate this interaction. These results suggest that blockage of tumor-stroma interactions by elimination of these mediators may make tumor cells more sensitive to treatments.