Hydrogen Water Protects Against Radiation Gut Damage in Mice
- Authors
- Hui-Wen Xiao, Yuan Li, Dan Luo, Jia-Li Dong, Li-Xin Zhou, Shu-Yi Zhao, Qi-Sheng Zheng, Hai-Chao Wang, Ming Cui, Sai-Jun Fan
- Journal
- Experimental & Molecular Medicine
- Year
- 2018
- DOI
- 10.1038/emm.2017.246
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Radiation-Induced Gastrointestinal Toxicity
- Body System
- Gastrointestinal
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-infused water helped mice recover from intestinal damage caused by radiation therapy for abdominal cancers.
Key Finding
Hydrogen water increased survival rates and improved intestinal function in mice exposed to abdominal radiation, potentially by protecting the gut lining and preserving beneficial bacteria.
Summary
Researchers gave mice hydrogen-infused water before exposing them to radiation therapy targeting the abdomen. The hydrogen water helped mice survive longer, maintain body weight, and protected the lining of their small intestines from radiation damage. The study suggests hydrogen water works by changing how certain genes are expressed and by preserving beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Practical Takeaway
This is early-stage research conducted only in mice, so it cannot yet be applied to human cancer patients. While the results are promising, human studies would be needed to determine if hydrogen water could help reduce radiation side effects in people undergoing cancer treatment. Anyone undergoing radiation therapy should discuss any supplements with their oncologist before use.
Abstract
Although radiation therapy is a cornerstone of modern management of malignancies, various side effects are inevitably linked to abdominal and pelvic cancer after radiotherapy. Radiation-mediated gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity impairs the life quality of cancer survivors and even shortens their lifespan. Hydrogen has been shown to protect against tissue injuries caused by oxidative stress and excessive inflammation, but its effect on radiation-induced intestinal injury was previously unknown. In the present study, we found that oral gavage with hydrogen-water increased the survival rate and body weight of mice exposed to total abdominal irradiation (TAI); oral gavage with hydrogen-water was also associated with an improvement in GI tract function and the epithelial integrity of the small intestine. Mechanistically, microarray analysis revealed that hydrogen-water administration upregulated miR-1968-5p levels, thus resulting in parallel downregulation of MyD88 expression in the small intestine after TAI exposure. Additionally, high-throughput sequencing showed that hydrogen-water oral gavage resulted in retention of the TAI-shifted intestinal bacterial composition in mice. Collectively, our findings suggested that hydrogen-water might be used as a potential therapeutic to alleviate intestinal injury induced by radiotherapy for abdominal and pelvic cancer in preclinical settings.