Targeted Hydrogen Therapy Prevents Fatty Liver Disease in Mice
- Authors
- Min Zhao, Zhaokui Jin, Chao Xia, Shengqiang Chen, Lingting Zeng, Shucun Qin, Qianjun He
- Journal
- Biomaterials
- Year
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122230
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Body System
- Hepatic
TL;DR
Scientists developed a new treatment that targets liver cells and releases hydrogen to stop a harmful iron-based reaction, potentially preventing the worsening of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Key Finding
A hydrogen-delivering nanoparticle system reduced oxidative stress and prevented cell death in liver cells of mice with NAFLD by blocking harmful iron-catalyzed chemical reactions.
Summary
This study tested a new nanoparticle-based system designed to deliver hydrogen directly to liver cells in mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD—a condition where fat builds up in the liver). The researchers found that the hydrogen-delivering system reduced harmful chemical reactions in liver cells, decreased oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules), and helped remove excess iron that accumulates in NAFLD. The treatment improved liver function in the mouse model.
Practical Takeaway
This is early-stage research in mice only, not humans. While it suggests hydrogen delivery to liver cells may help prevent NAFLD progression through a specific anti-oxidant mechanism, much more research—including human trials—would be needed before any therapeutic application. The study does not evaluate hydrogen water or other consumer hydrogen products.
Abstract
The metabolic disorder of hepatocytes in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) leads to the formation of an iron pool which induces the Fenton reaction-derived ferroptosis and the deterioration of liver disease. The elimination of the iron pool for the removal of Fenton reactions is vitally important to prevent the evolution of NAFLD, but quite challenging. In this work, we discover that free heme in the iron pool of NAFLD can catalyze the hydrogenation of H2O2/‧OH to block the heme-based Fenton reaction for the first time, and therefore develop a novel hepatocyte-targeted hydrogen delivery system (MSN-Glu) by modifying magnesium silicide nanosheets (MSN) with N-(3-triethoxysilylpropyl) gluconamide to block the heme-catalyzed vicious circle of liver disease. The developed MSN-Glu nanomedicine exhibits a high hydrogen delivery capacity as well as sustained hydrogen release and hepatocyte-targeting behaviors, and remarkably improves the metabolic function of the liver in a NAFLD mouse model by the relief of oxidative stress and the prevention of ferroptosis in hepatocytes, accelerating the removal of the iron pool in fundamental support of NAFLD prevention. The proposed prevention strategy based on the mechanisms of NAFLD disease and hydrogen medicine will provide an inspiration for inflammation-related disease prevention.