Hydrogen Saline Plus Cancer Drug Fights Lung Cancer Better Than Alone

Authors
Journal
Molecular Medicine Reports
Year
DOI
10.3892/mmr.2018.9168
Study Type
Cell Culture
Outcome
Positive
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Country
China
Health Condition
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Body System
Respiratory

TL;DR

A study found that treating lung cancer cells with a combination of a specific inhibitor and hydrogen-rich saline could be more effective in stopping their growth and causing them to die than using either treatment alone.

Key Finding

In lung cancer cells, combining hydrogen-rich saline with a PI3K inhibitor was more effective at stopping cell growth and triggering cell death than either treatment used separately.

Summary

Researchers tested whether hydrogen-rich saline combined with a cancer drug called LY294002 could more effectively stop lung cancer cells from growing. Using cancer cells in a lab dish, they found that the combination treatment reduced harmful molecules called free radicals (reactive oxygen species), slowed cancer cell growth, and triggered cancer cells to die—better than either treatment alone.

Practical Takeaway

This is very early laboratory research using cancer cells in a dish, not human studies or even animal testing. While the results are interesting, they do not yet indicate whether hydrogen-rich saline would help lung cancer patients. Significant additional research, including animal studies and human clinical trials, would be needed before any conclusions about real-world effectiveness could be drawn.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of combination therapy of LY294002, a specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3‑kinase (PI3K), with hydrogen‑rich saline on the proliferation and apoptosis of the non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cell line and the mechanisms underpinning this. Excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) may induce DNA mutations, DNA damage, genomic instability and cell proliferation, and ROS are involved in several types of cancer, particularly lung cancer. In a previous study, hydrogen was recognized as an antioxidant in preventive and therapeutic applications. The PI3K/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway is an important signaling pathway that may activate downstream of a series of extracellular signals and impact on cellular processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis and survival. To date, the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway has been indicated as a feasible target for novel antineoplastic drugs. Different strategies combining the two treatment modalities have been used in cancer therapy in order to achieve an improved therapeutic response and longer control of tumor modalities control. The present study investigated the effect of hydrogen‑rich saline alone and in combination with the PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, on the proliferation, oxidative stress and apoptosis of NSCLC A549 cells. This combination therapy may be more effective than separate drug treatment; it decreased the malondialdehyde level and increased the superoxide dismutase activity. The combination therapy also enhanced the efficacy of anti‑proliferation and apoptosis. Similarly, the results of the present study demonstrated that administration of the two agents in combination may inhibit phospho‑Akt activity, and reduce expression of heme oxygenase‑1 and nuclear factor‑κB p65. The results further suggested that the combination therapy may reduce cell proliferation and promote cell apoptosis by downregulating Akt phosphorylation and inhibiting the PI3K pathway in NSCLC cell lines. Therefore, the present study provided evidence that combined therapy may be a novel therapeutic option for patients with NSCLC.