Hydrogen Therapy Kills Endometrial Cancer Cells in Laboratory Study
- Authors
- Ye Yang, Yin-Ping Liu, Wei Bao, Jun-Song Chen, Xiao-Wei Xi
- Journal
- Translational Cancer Research
- Year
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.21037/tcr.2020.03.71
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Endometrial Cancer
- Body System
- Reproductive System
TL;DR
Hydrogen treatment may help fight endometrial cancer by triggering cell death pathways.
Key Finding
Hydrogen treatment increased the rate of apoptosis (cell death) in three types of endometrial cancer cells by activating TNF and NF-κB signaling pathways.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen (dissolved in water) could affect endometrial cancer cells grown in laboratory dishes. They used genetic analysis to track how hydrogen changed the cells' behavior and found that hydrogen treatment triggered a process called apoptosis (programmed cell death) by activating specific cellular pathways involved in cell death signals.
Practical Takeaway
This is early laboratory research in cancer cells only—not humans or animals. While the results are interesting, they cannot yet tell us whether hydrogen water would have any effect on endometrial cancer in people. Much more research, including animal studies and eventually human trials, would be needed before any therapeutic claims could be considered.
Abstract
Background: To evaluate the activity of hydrogen in endometrial cancer and elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: Ishikawa, HEC1A and AN3CA cells were incubated in DMEM medium with or without hydrogen. RNA sequencing was used to explore the association of hydrogen treatment with signaling pathways and functional genes in endometrial cancer cells. The apoptotic rates of the three endometrial cancer cells were evaluated by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) Annexin V and Annexin V-allophycocyanin (APC)/propidium iodide double staining. Results: RNA sequencing analysis revealed that hydrogen induced TNF/NF-κB and apoptosis pathways in endometrial cancer cells. The gene sets between hydrogen treatment groups and non-treated groups were mapped in accordance with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Hydrogen treatment significantly increased the apoptotic rates of endometrial cancer cells. Conclusions: Taken together, our data indicate that hydrogen can serve as a therapeutic target for endometrial cancer via TNF/NF-κB pathway and apoptosis induction.