Hydrogen Saline Protects Brain After Stroke in Mouse Study
- Authors
- Bingjie Jiang, Yunping Li, Weimin Dai, An Wu, Huayong Wu, Dandan Mao
- Journal
- Acta Cirúrgica Brasileira
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.1590/ACB360804
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Hydrogen-rich saline helps mice recover from brain hemorrhage by reducing cell death and stress in brain cells.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich saline improved survival rates and neurological recovery in mice with brain bleeding by reducing brain cell death through inhibition of autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress.
Summary
Researchers tested hydrogen-rich saline (salt water containing dissolved hydrogen) in mice that had experienced a type of brain bleeding called subarachnoid hemorrhage. They found that the hydrogen treatment improved survival rates, helped mice recover better neurologically, and reduced brain cell death. The protective effect appeared to work by reducing harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species and by preventing excessive autophagy (a cellular self-destruction process) and endoplasmic reticulum stress (a type of cellular damage).
Practical Takeaway
This early-stage mouse study suggests hydrogen-rich saline may have protective effects on the brain after certain types of hemorrhage, but it is not yet clear whether these results would apply to humans. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before any therapeutic recommendations could be made.
Abstract
Purpose: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a common complication of cerebral vascular disease. Hydrogen has been reported to alleviate early brain injury (EBI) through oxidative stress injury, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and autophagy. Autophagy is a programmed cell death mechanism that plays a vital role in neuronal cell death after SAH. However, the precise role of autophagy in hydrogen-mediated neuroprotection following SAH has not been confirmed. Methods: In the present study, the objective was to investigate the neuroprotective effects and potential molecular mechanisms of hydrogen-rich saline in SAH-induced EBI by regulating neural autophagy in the C57BL/6 mice model. Mortality, neurological score, brain water content, ROS, malondialdehyde (MDA), and neuronal death were evaluated. Results: The results show that hydrogen-rich saline treatment markedly increased the survival rate and neurological score, increased neuron survival, downregulated the autophagy protein expression of Beclin-1 and LC3, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. That indicates that hydrogen-rich saline-mediated inhibition of autophagy and ER stress ameliorate neuronal death after SAH. The neuroprotective capacity of hydrogen-rich saline is partly dependent on the ROS/Nrf2/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that hydrogen-rich saline improves neurological outcomes in mice and reduces neuronal death by protecting against neural autophagy and ER stress.