Hydrogen Therapy Boosts Stem Cell Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries
- Authors
- Shengchang Luo, Jianxin Wu, Yuanyuan Qiu, Bing Xiao, Yanhai Xi, Chengwei Yang, Zhicai Shi, Weiheng Wang
- Journal
- Stem Cells International
- Year
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.1155/2023/8227382
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Adding hydrogen to bone marrow stem cell treatments improves recovery from spinal cord injuries in rats by boosting cell survival and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Key Finding
Hydrogen combined with stem cell transplantation significantly improved nerve function recovery in rats with spinal cord injury by increasing transplanted cell survival and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen could improve the effectiveness of stem cell transplants for spinal cord injuries in rats. They found that hydrogen reduced inflammation and oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules) in the injured area, which helped the transplanted stem cells survive longer and work better. Rats that received both stem cells and hydrogen-rich saline showed better recovery of nerve function compared to those receiving stem cells alone.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage rat study suggesting that hydrogen may enhance stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury, but human evidence is not yet available. The findings are promising for future research but should not be interpreted as proof that hydrogen water would have similar effects in people with spinal cord injuries.
Abstract
Although bone mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation has been applied to the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI), the effect is unsatisfactory due to the specific microenvironment (inflammation and oxidative stress) in the SCI area, which leads to the low survival rate of transplanted cells. Thus, additional strategies are required to improve the efficacy of transplanted cells in the treatment of SCI. Hydrogen possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, whether hydrogen can enhance the effect of BMSC transplantation in the treatment of SCI has not yet been reported. This study was aimed at investigating whether hydrogen promotes the therapeutic effect of BMSC transplantation in the treatment of SCI in rats. In vitro, BMSCs were cultured in a normal medium and a hydrogen-rich medium to study the effect of hydrogen on the proliferation and migration of BMSCs. BMSCs were treated with a serum-deprived medium (SDM), and the effects of hydrogen on the apoptosis of BMSCs were studied. In vivo, BMSCs were injected into the rat model of SCI. Hydrogen-rich saline (5 ml/kg) and saline (5 ml/kg) were given once a day via intraperitoneal injection. Neurological function was evaluated using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) and CatWalk gait analyses. Histopathological analysis, oxidative stress, inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), and transplanted cell viability were detected at 3 and 28 days after SCI. Hydrogen can significantly enhance BMSC proliferation and migration and tolerance to SDM. Hydrogen and BMSC codelivery can significantly enhance neurological function recovery by improving the transplant cell survival rate and migration. Hydrogen can enhance the migration and proliferation capacity of BMSCs to repair SCI by reducing the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in the injured area. Hydrogen and BMSC codelivery is an effective method to improve BMSC transplantation in the treatment of SCI.