Hydrogen Gas Protects Donated Livers During Organ Preservation
- Authors
- Yusuke Minami, Siddabasave Gowda B. B. Gowda, Kengo Shibata, Sodai Sakamoto, Divyavani Gowda, Tsuyoshi Shimamura, Akinobu Taketomi, Hitoshi Chiba, Moto Fukai, Shu-Ping Hui
- Journal
- Journal of Lipid Research
- Year
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jlr.2026.101040
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Liver Failure
- Body System
- Hepatic
TL;DR
Hydrogen-enriched hypothermic machine perfusion altered lipid metabolism in DCD rat livers in ways consistent with reduced ischemia-reperfusion injury, improved membrane stability, and better mitochondrial preservation.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas added to liver preservation solution altered specific lipid molecules in ways that suggest it may help protect donor livers from damage during the preservation and transplant process.
Summary
This rat study examined how adding hydrogen gas to a machine that preserves donor livers affects the liver's fat molecules (lipids). Researchers compared livers preserved with cold storage alone, machine perfusion, and machine perfusion with added hydrogen gas. They found that hydrogen gas changed the types and amounts of lipids in the liver in ways that suggest it may protect against damage that occurs when blood flow is restored to the organ after preservation.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage rat study focused on organ transplant preservation rather than drinking hydrogen water. While the findings suggest hydrogen may help protect liver tissue at the molecular level, this research does not yet tell us anything about hydrogen water's effects on human health or liver function in living people.
Abstract (excerpt)
Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) combined with hydrogen gas has previously been shown to mitigate ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in rat liver, but without full recovery of function. This study examined how hydrogen gas modulates hepatic lipid metabolism during HMP using donation after cardiac…