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#Industry News

Hypoxic Atmosphere - Gas Flow Management

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Colorectal Carcinoma Cells

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects a significant proportion of the population and is linked to increased rates of cancer development and a worse cancer outcome. OSA is characterized by nocturnal intermittent hypoxia and animal models of OSA-like intermittent hypoxia show increased tumor growth & metastasis. Advanced tumors typically have regions of chronic hypoxia, activating the transcription factor, HIF-1, which controls the expression of genes involved in cancer progression. Rapid intermittent hypoxia from OSA has been proposed to increase HIF-1 activity and this may occur in tumors. We have built a cell-based model of physiological OSA tissue oxygenation in order to study the effects of intermittent hypoxia in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. We found that HIF-1 increases following intermittent hypoxia and that the expression of HIF-target genes increases, including those involved in glycolysis, the hypoxic pathway and extracellular matrix remodeling. Expression of these genes acts as a ‘hypoxic’ signature which is associated with a worse prognosis. The total dose of hypoxia determined the magnitude of change in the hypoxic signature rather than the frequency or duration of hypoxia-reoxygenation cycles per se.

Benefits and Savings.

A traditional method would require a gas tank of custom gas mixes (N2, CO2, O2) with timers and solenoid valves. It would have been quite difficult to set up compared to the easier MCQ Gas Mixers’ system requirements. The University of Sydney was seeking a solution for their study about Cell culture and intermittent hypoxia (low oxygen). Thanks to our instruments they can now customize a timed protocol of different periods of different oxygen levels to test on their cancer cells grown in culture. The Gas Mixer makes cancer research into the effects of low oxygen (tumor hypoxia) much easier and with less complicated equipment setup.

------ IN PILLS:

Cost Savings (30%)

The effectiveness of our Gas Blenders reduces consistently the gas consumption of 30%

Flow Rates - No CUT-OFF

Our GB100 Series allows the University of Sydney to control the flow in all the calibration range, from 0,1 ml/min to 500 ml/min with NO cut-off.

Flow Stability

Thanks to our revolutionary method every gas flow has a great stability making possible to have a stable flow also for lower flow-range.

Time Savings (70%)

Easier setup management of the hardware. Easier setup management of the software.

Software Automation

Thanks to our Software PRO Version and its option "Automatic Program", now the University of Sydney can bring forward experiments in automation.

Successful Achievement

Setting an efficient normoxic and hypoxic environment and keeping it under control.

Details

  • Via delle Quattro Fontane, Roma RM, Italy
  • Giuseppe Canuti

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