Hydrogen Therapy Protects Lungs from Radiation Damage in Mice
- Authors
- Xue Gao, Shiying Niu, Lulu Li, Xiaoyue Zhang, Xuetao Cao, Xinhui Zhang, Wentao Pan, Meili Sun, Guoli Zhao, Xuezhen Zheng, Song Guohua, Yueying Zhang
- Journal
- Heliyon
- Year
- 2024
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30902
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Radiation Lung Injury
- Body System
- Respiratory
TL;DR
Inhaling hydrogen gas can improve lung function and reduce inflammation in mice with lung damage caused by radiation therapy.
Key Finding
Hydrogen inhalation improved lung function and reduced inflammation in mice with radiation-induced lung injury by shifting immune cells from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory types.
Summary
Researchers gave mice with radiation-induced lung injury (damage to the lungs from cancer treatment radiation) hydrogen gas to breathe. They found that hydrogen inhalation improved lung function, reduced inflammation in lung tissue, and changed the type of immune cells (macrophages) present—shifting them from a pro-inflammatory type (M1) to an anti-inflammatory type (M2). The hydrogen appeared to work by blocking a cellular signaling pathway called NF-κB that normally triggers inflammation.
Practical Takeaway
This mouse study suggests hydrogen gas may help protect against lung damage from radiation therapy, but it is early-stage research conducted only in animals. Much more work, including human studies, would be needed before hydrogen could be considered a treatment for radiation lung injury. The findings are interesting from a scientific perspective but should not be interpreted as evidence that hydrogen water or hydrogen gas is effective for this condition in people.
Abstract
Background: Radiotherapy has become a standard treatment for chest tumors, but a common complication of radiotherapy is radiation lung injury. Currently, there is still a lack of effective treatment for radiation lung injury. Methods: A mouse model of radioactive lung injury (RILI) was constructed and then treated with different cycles of hydrogen inhalation. Lung function tests were performed to detect changes in lung function.HE staining was used to detect pathological changes in lung tissue. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the polarization of macrophages in lung tissue. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect changes in cytokine expression in lung tissues. Western Blot was used to detect the expression of proteins related to the NF-κB signalling pathway. Results: Lung function test results showed that lung function decreased in the model group and improved in the treatment group.HE staining showed that inflammatory response was evident in the model group and decreased in the treatment group. Immunohistochemistry results showed that the expression of pro-inflammatory factors was significantly higher in the model group, and the expression of pro-inflammatory factors was significantly higher in the treatment group. The expression of pro-inflammatory factors in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the model group, and the expression of anti-inflammatory factors in the treatment group was higher than that in the model group. Immunofluorescence showed that the expression of M1 subtype macrophages was up-regulated in the model group and down-regulated in the treatment group. The expression of M2 subtype macrophages was up-regulated in the treatment group relative to the model group. Western Blot showed that P-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 was significantly increased in the model group, and P-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 was decreased in the treatment group. Conclusion: Hydrogen therapy promotes macrophage polarization from M1 to M2 subtypes by inhibiting the NF-κB signalling pathway, thereby attenuating the inflammatory response to radiation lung injury.