Hydrogen Gas Protects Against Pancreatic Inflammation in Mice
- Authors
- Kun Li, Hongling Yin, Yi Duan, Peizhen Lai, Yancheng Cai, Youzhen Wei
- Journal
- BMC Gastroenterology
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12876-021-01640-9
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Body System
- Digestive
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen-rich gases before experiencing acute pancreatitis can protect mice from the disease, likely by reducing oxidative stress and increasing a protective protein in the pancreas.
Key Finding
In mice, breathing hydrogen-rich gas for 3 days before acute pancreatitis induction significantly reduced pancreatic damage, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress compared to untreated mice.
Summary
Researchers gave mice hydrogen-rich gas to breathe for 3 days before inducing acute pancreatitis (a serious pancreas inflammation). Compared to mice that didn't receive hydrogen, the hydrogen-treated mice had less pancreatic damage, lower levels of pancreatic enzymes in their blood, reduced inflammatory markers, and better antioxidant protection (meaning less cellular damage from harmful molecules). The hydrogen treatment also increased a protective protein called Hsp60 in the pancreas.
Practical Takeaway
This mouse study suggests hydrogen gas inhalation may have protective effects against acute pancreatitis through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. However, this is early-stage animal research only—human studies are needed to determine if these findings apply to people, and hydrogen should not be considered a treatment or prevention for pancreatitis outside of clinical research settings.
Abstract
Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) lacks targeted prevention and treatment measures. Some key points in the pathogenesis of AP remain unclear, such as early activation of pancreatic enzymes. Several recent reports have shown the protective effect of hydrogen on several AP animal models, and the mechanism is related to antioxidant activity. Heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60) is known to accompany pancreatic enzymes synthesis and secretion pathway of in pancreatic acinar cells, while role of hsp60 in AP remains a topic. Aim of this study was to investigate effect of hydrogen pretreatment on AP and the mechanisms, focusing on pancreatic oxidative stress and Hsp60 expression. Methods: 80 mice were randomly assigned into four groups: HAP group, AP group, HNS group, and NS group and each group were set 3 observation time point as 1 h, 3 h and 5 h (n = 6-8). Mouse AP model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 50 μg/kg caerulein per hour for 6 injections both in AP and HAP groups, and mice in NS group and HNS group given normal saline (NS) injections at the same way as control respectively. Mice in HAP group and HNS group were treated with hydrogen-rich gases inhalation for 3 days before the first injection of caerulein or saline, while mice in AP group and NS group in normal air condition. Histopathology of pancreatic tissue, plasma amylase and lipase, plasma IL-1 and IL-6, pancreatic glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and Hsp60 mRNA and protein expression were investigated. Comparisons were made by one-way analysis of variance. Results: The pancreatic pathological changes, plasma amylase and lipase activity, and the increase of plasma IL-1 and IL-6 levels in AP mice were significantly improved by the hydrogen-rich gases pretreatment, Meanwhile, the pancreatic GSH content increased and the pancreatic MDA content decreased. And, the hydrogen-rich gases pretreatment improved the Hsp60 protein expression in pancreatic tissues of AP mice at 1 h and 5 h. Conclusions: Pre-inhalation of hydrogen-rich gases have a good protective effect on AP mice, and the possible mechanisms of reduced oxidative stress and the early increased pancreatic Hsp60 protein deserve attention.