Abstract 2590 Physiological Oxygen Tensions Affect Metabolism, Gene Expression, and Hypoxic Responses In Vitro

Cancer cell culture has been historically done in near-atmospheric levels, around 18% O2. However, physiological oxygen levels in most human tissues range between 2–9% O2 (physioxia). How supraphysiological oxygen levels in culture affects the behavior of cancer cells is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated how culturing various cancer cell lines in 5% (physioxia) or 18% O2 affects different aspects of cancer biology in vitro. Interestingly, culture in physioxia generally promoted higher oxygen consumption rates and lower extracellular acidification rates in several cancer cell lines.