Hydrogen Gas Protects Brain Cells from Oxygen Toxicity in Lab Study
- Authors
- Junchao Yu, Qiuhong Yu, Yaling Liu, Ruiyun Zhang, Lianbi Xue
- Journal
- PLoS One
- Year
- 2017
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0173645
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Oxygen Toxicity
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Hydrogen gas (H2) can protect cells from the damaging effects of high-pressure oxygen therapy by reducing harmful oxygen-related molecules.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas selectively reduced hydroxyl radical levels and protected nerve cells against damage from high-pressure oxygen exposure in laboratory tests.
Summary
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (breathing oxygen at high pressure) can damage nerve cells by creating harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species. This study tested whether hydrogen gas could protect nerve cells (PC12 cells) from this damage. Researchers exposed cells to high-pressure oxygen with or without hydrogen gas and measured cell survival and damage markers. Hydrogen gas improved cell survival, reduced damage to cell structures, and specifically lowered levels of a particularly harmful molecule called hydroxyl radicals, without affecting other reactive oxygen species that may be beneficial.
Practical Takeaway
This early laboratory study suggests hydrogen gas may help protect against oxygen toxicity from hyperbaric therapy, but these results are from cells in a dish, not humans. Much more research—including animal and human studies—would be needed before hydrogen could be considered for clinical use alongside hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Abstract
Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy through breathing oxygen at the pressure of above 1 atmosphere absolute (ATA) is useful for varieties of clinical conditions, especially hypoxic-ischemic diseases. Because of generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), breathing oxygen gas at high pressures can cause oxygen toxicity in the central nervous system, leading to multiple neurological dysfunction, which limits the use of HBO therapy. Studies have shown that Hydrogen gas (H2) can diminish oxidative stress and effectively reduce active ROS associated with diseases. However, the effect of H2 on ROS generated from HBO therapy remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of H2 on ROS during HBO therapy using PC12 cells. PC12 cells cultured in medium were exposed to oxygen gas or mixed oxygen gas and H2 at 1 ATA or 5 ATA. Cells viability and oxidation products and ROS were determined. The data showed that H2 promoted the cell viability and inhibited the damage in the cell and mitochondria membrane, reduced the levels of lipid peroxidation and DNA oxidation, and selectively decreased the levels of •OH but not disturbing the levels of O2•-, H2O2, or NO• in PC12 cells during HBO therapy. These results indicated that H2 effectively reduced •OH, protected cells against oxygen toxicity resulting from HBO therapy, and had no effect on other ROS. Our data supported that H2 could be potentially used as an antioxidant during HBO therapy.