Nutrient Deprivation and Growth of Cancer Cells Under Normoxia and Hypoxia

Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida, USA

Objective: To study the effects of nutrient deprivation under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Background: Essential Nutrient Amino acid such as methionine is very essential during growth and cell division of normal cells. Normal cell growth and cell divisions are highly regulated process that results in whole body tissues and organs of the human body. In contrast, cancer cells are dysregulated on their growth and cell division process due to any number of mutations that could affect the normal growth and developments. This makes it a challenge for universal targeted therapy for cancers. In other words, each cancer cell line developed from various cancer patients behave differently under in vitro conditions. This attests the fact that each cancer is unique and the patient’s treatment customized. Often the cancer that must have developed for example in colon would have metastasized into lung and the cancer cell isolated from the lungs of the patient exhibit features of both tissues in this case, colon and lung. Methods: Various Cancer cell lines are being grown in cell culture media under normal and nutrient deprived conditions in either normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Results: Nutrient deprivation affects the growth of the cells at varying degrees under normoxia. Conclusion: We hypothesize that the process of metastasis and its maintenance in its new niche requires vascularization and normoxia. Under hypoxic conditions, the process of metastasis and the prolonged sustenance of the cells is affected. Future Directions: Our ultimate goal is to find a common target for various cancer cell therapies. Grants: The study will be funded by HPD Research Grant.