New Nano-Device Creates Hydrogen Gas to Fight Inflammation
- Authors
- Wei-Lin Wan, Yu-Jung Lin, Hsin-Lung Chen, Chieh-Cheng Huang, Po-Chien Shih, Yu-Ru Bow, Wei-Tso Chia, Hsing-Wen Sung
- Journal
- Journal of the American Chemical Society
- Year
- 2017
- DOI
- 10.1021/jacs.7b07492
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Tissue Inflammation
- Body System
- Immune System
TL;DR
Scientists have created a tiny, light-activated particle that can produce hydrogen gas to reduce harmful inflammation in cells and mice.
Key Finding
A light-activated nanoreactor system that produces hydrogen gas locally in inflamed tissue reduced inflammatory markers and oxidative stress in both laboratory cell tests and in mice with induced paw inflammation.
Summary
Researchers created a tiny particle-based system that produces hydrogen gas when exposed to light. The system contains chlorophyll (the green pigment in plants), vitamin C, and gold nanoparticles packaged in a fat-based shell. When activated by light, it generates hydrogen gas directly in inflamed tissue. In laboratory tests and in mice with paw inflammation, this system reduced harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species and inflammatory proteins, suggesting it may help reduce tissue inflammation.
Practical Takeaway
This is early-stage research using an experimental delivery system tested only in animals, not humans. While the results suggest hydrogen gas production in inflamed tissue may help reduce inflammation, this approach is fundamentally different from drinking hydrogen water and much further from clinical use. More research, including human studies, would be needed to determine if this technology could eventually become a viable treatment.
Abstract
Hydrogen (H2) gas can reduce cytotoxic reactive oxygen spe-cies (ROS) that are produced in inflamed tissues. Inspired by natural photosynthesis, this work proposes a multicomponent nanoreactor (NR) that comprises chlorophyll a, L-ascorbic acid, and gold nanoparticles that are encapsulated in a liposomal (Lip) system that can produce H2 gas in situ upon photon absorption to mitigate inflammatory responses. Unlike a bulk system that contains free reacting molecules, this Lip NR system provides an optimal reaction environment, facilitating rapid activation of the photosynthesis of H2 gas, locally providing a high therapeu-tic concentration thereof. The photo-driven NR system reduces the degrees of overproduction of ROS and pro-inflammatory cytokines both in vitro in RAW264.7 cells and in vivo in mice with paw inflammation that is induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Histological examinations of tissue sections confirm the ability of the NR system to reduce LPS-induced inflammation. Experimental results indicate that the Lip NR system that can photosynthesize H2 gas has great potential for mitigating oxida-tive stress in tissue inflammation.