Hydrogen Agent Improves Fat Graft Success in Plastic Surgery Study
- Authors
- Naoya Otani, Koichi Tomita, Yuki Kobayashi, Kazuya Kuroda, Hikaru Kobayashi, Tateki Kubo
- Journal
- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- Year
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.1097/PRS.0000000000010919
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Surgical Recovery
- Body System
- Integumentary
TL;DR
A special diet containing a silicon-based agent that releases hydrogen improves the success of fat grafts in rats by reducing inflammation and damage.
Key Finding
A silicon-based agent that generates hydrogen gas in the body significantly improved fat graft survival in rats by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death.
Summary
Researchers tested whether a silicon-based compound that generates hydrogen gas in the body could improve the survival of fat grafts in rats. They found that rats fed this compound, either alone or combined with added stem cells, had better fat graft survival, less inflammation, less cell damage, and better tissue quality compared to control rats. The hydrogen-generating compound worked about as well as stem cells alone, and combining both approaches worked even better.
Practical Takeaway
This is early-stage research in rats only, so it cannot yet be applied to humans. The study suggests that hydrogen gas may help preserve transplanted fat tissue by reducing damage and inflammation, which could eventually benefit reconstructive surgery—but human studies would be needed to determine if this approach is safe and effective in people.
Abstract
Background: Regulating excessive inflammation and oxidative stress in fat grafting may improve retention rates. Hydrogen effectively combats oxidative stress and inflammation and reportedly inhibits ischemia-reperfusion injury in various organs. Unfortunately, with conventional methods of hydrogen administration, incorporating hydrogen continuously into the body over a long period of time is difficult. We hypothesized that a Silicon (Si)-based agent we recently developed would aid in fat grafting as it can generate large amounts of hydrogen continuously in the body. Methods: Fat grafting was performed on the backs of rats fed either a normal or 1.0 wt% Si-based agent-containing diet. To investigate synergistic effects with adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs), which improve retention rates of fat grafting, fat grafting with ASCs (1.0×10 5/400 mg fat) was also performed in each rat. Postoperative retention rates of grafted fat over time, inflammatory indices, apoptosis and oxidative stress markers, histological findings, and expression levels of inflammation-related cytokines and growth factors were compared between the four groups. Results: Intake of Si-based agent and addition of ASCs significantly reduced inflammatory indices, oxidative stress, and apoptosis of grafted fat, and improved long-term retention rates, histological parameters, and grafted fat quality. Under our experimental conditions, intake of the Si-based agent and addition of ASCs yielded comparable improvements in fat graft retention. Combining the two enhanced these effects even further. Conclusion: Oral administration of the hydrogen-generating Si-based agent may improve grafted fat retention by regulating the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in grafted fat. Clinical relevance statement: This study demonstrates improved grafted fat retention rates using a Si-based agent. This Si-based agent has the potential to expand the range of therapeutic indications of hydrogen-based therapy to conditions for which hydrogen has yet to be found effective, such as fat grafting.