Hydrogen Gas Protects Liver from Sepsis Damage in Mouse Study
- Authors
- Xinling Chen, Wenting Suo, Qiuling Li, Yun Chen, Yao Deng, Luyao Xu, Jiaying Dai, Ning Zhang, Jiean Xu, Jinwen Xu, Xiaodong Zhang, Wen Su, Chengqin Lu, Shuangling Yang, Hongzhi Yang, Hequan Zhu, Haimei Liu, Wenhai Guo, Yaxing Zhang
- Journal
- Frontiers in Immunology
- Year
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1759535
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Sepsis
- Body System
- Hepatic
TL;DR
Intraperitoneal hydrogen pretreatment reduced LPS-induced acute liver injury in mice by lowering oxidative stress, suppressing TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK inflammatory signaling, and inhibiting NLRP3-related pyroptosis.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas pretreatment reduced liver damage from bacterial toxin exposure in mice by suppressing inflammatory signaling pathways and preventing a damaging form of cell death called pyroptosis.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen gas could protect mouse livers from damage caused by lipopolysaccharide (a bacterial toxin that triggers sepsis-like conditions). They found that hydrogen gas given by injection before the toxin exposure reduced liver inflammation, lowered markers of liver damage in the blood, and prevented a type of cell death called pyroptosis by blocking inflammatory signaling pathways in the liver.
Practical Takeaway
This mouse study suggests hydrogen gas may have potential to protect the liver during severe infection, but the findings cannot yet be applied to humans. The study used injected hydrogen gas rather than hydrogen water, and human trials would be needed to determine if similar benefits occur in people with sepsis or liver disease.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background The liver is extremely vulnerable to endotoxin-induced damage during sepsis. Hydrogen gas (H 2 ) is a colorless and odorless gas molecule with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory actions. However, the effects of H 2 intraperitoneal injection on sepsis-induced acute liver injury…