Ambient O2 pressure induces NF-kB1/RelA related inflammatory response in human lung epithelial cells in vitro. Homo sapiens

Oxygen (O2) levels in cell culture conditions is typically 2-5 fold higher than the physiological O2 levels that most tissues experience in vivo. The ambient atmospheric O2 (21%) is known to induce cell proliferation defects and cellular senescence in stem cell and primary cell cultures. However, limited information is available on effect of ambient O2 pressure on immortalized cells as compared to physiological O2 pressure. Here we addressed this problem by culturing immortalized human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells at ambient 21% O2 and lower 10% O2 levels. BEAS-2B cells were subject to increased oxidative stress at 21% O2. Our results show NF-κB/RelA mediated activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines as a major outcome of cells being cultured 21% O2.