Hydrogen Therapy Shows Promise for Lung Transplant Complications

Authors
Journal
Experimental Biology and Medicine
Year
DOI
10.1177/15353702211007084
Study Type
clinical
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Country
China
Health Condition
Primary Graft Dysfunction
Body System
Respiratory

TL;DR

Scientists found that hydrogen gas can protect donated lungs from damage during transplant surgery by reducing harmful inflammation and oxidative stress, and it can be given to patients through breathing it in, drinking special water, or injections. This is really promising because lung transplants often fail due to this kind of damage, but we need to test it more in real patients before doctors can start using it regularly.

Key Finding

Animal studies suggest molecular hydrogen reduces lung damage during transplantation by decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress, but human clinical evidence is not yet available.

Summary

This review examined research on whether molecular hydrogen (H2)—a simple gas—can protect lung tissue during transplant surgery. Studies in animals showed that hydrogen, given through breathing, drinking hydrogen-rich water, or injection, reduced damage to transplanted lungs by decreasing harmful inflammation and oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules). However, the exact way hydrogen works in the body is not fully understood, and human studies are still needed.

Practical Takeaway

While early animal research indicates hydrogen may help protect transplanted lungs, this is a review of laboratory studies, not human trials. Anyone considering hydrogen as a transplant-related treatment should wait for clinical trials in humans and consult their transplant team, as the protective effects have not been proven in patients.

Abstract

Lung grafts may experience multiple injuries during lung transplantation, such as warm ischaemia, cold ischaemia, and reperfusion injury. These injuries all contribute to primary graft dysfunction, which is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation. As a potential selective antioxidant, hydrogen molecule (H2) protects against post-transplant complications in animal models of multiple organ transplantation. Herein, the authors review the current literature regarding the effects of H2 on lung injury from lung transplantation. The reviewed studies showed that H2 improved the outcomes of lung transplantation by decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation at the donor and recipient phases. H2 is primarily administered via inhalation, drinking hydrogen-rich water, hydrogen-rich saline injection, or a hydrogen-rich water bath. H2 favorably modulates signal transduction and gene expression, resulting in the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and excess reactive oxygen species production. Although H2 appears to be a physiological regulatory molecule with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties, its exact mechanisms of action remain elusive. Taken together, accumulating experimental evidence indicates that H2 can significantly alleviate transplantation-related lung injury, mainly via inhibition of inflammatory cytokine secretion and reduction in oxidative stress through several underlying mechanisms. Further animal experiments and preliminary human clinical trials will lay the foundation for the use of H2 as a treatment in the clinic.