Hydrogen May Boost Some Cancer Cells, Study Warns
- Authors
- Tomoya Hasegawa, Mikako Ito, Satoru Hasegawa, Masaki Teranishi, Koki Takeda, Shuto Negishi, Hiroshi Nishiwaki, Jun-Ichi Takeda, Tyler W. LeBaron, Kinji Ohno
- Journal
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Year
- 2022
- DOI
- 10.3390/ijms23052888
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Negative
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Cancer
- Body System
- Cellular
TL;DR
Hydrogen gas can increase the growth of certain human cancer cells by affecting their energy-producing structures, mitochondria.
Key Finding
Molecular hydrogen increased the proliferation of cancer cells that had high mitochondrial energy capacity, raising concerns that hydrogen therapy could potentially promote cancer cell growth in certain types of cancer.
Summary
Researchers tested molecular hydrogen on seven different human cancer cell lines grown in the laboratory. They found that hydrogen increased the growth of four of these cancer types, but not the other three. The cancer cells that grew faster when exposed to hydrogen had more active mitochondria (the energy-producing structures inside cells) compared to the ones that didn't respond. Hydrogen triggered a protective stress response in the mitochondria of the responsive cancer cells, which appeared to promote their growth.
Practical Takeaway
This laboratory study suggests that hydrogen's effects on cancer cells may depend heavily on the specific type of cancer and its metabolic characteristics. However, this is early cell-culture research only—it does not demonstrate what would happen in living organisms or humans. Anyone with cancer considering hydrogen therapy should discuss these findings with their oncologist, as this research indicates hydrogen's safety profile in cancer patients requires further investigation.
Abstract
Molecular hydrogen ameliorates pathological states in a variety of human diseases, animal models, and cell models, but the effects of hydrogen on cancer have been rarely reported. In addition, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of hydrogen remain mostly unelucidated. We found that hydrogen enhances proliferation of four out of seven human cancer cell lines (the responders). The proliferation-promoting effects were not correlated with basal levels of cellular reactive oxygen species. Expression profiling of the seven cells showed that the responders have higher gene expression of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) molecules than the non-responders. In addition, the responders have higher mitochondrial mass, higher mitochondrial superoxide, higher mitochondrial membrane potential, and higher mitochondrial spare respiratory capacity than the non-responders. In the responders, hydrogen provoked mitochondrial unfolded protein response (mtUPR). Suppression of cell proliferation by rotenone, an inhibitor of mitochondrial ETC complex I, was rescued by hydrogen in the responders. Hydrogen triggers mtUPR and induces cell proliferation in cancer cells that have high basal and spare mitochondrial ETC activities.