Mamoru Takahashi1, Toyofumi F Chen-Yoshikawa2, Masao Saito3, Satona Tanaka4, Ei Miyamoto2, Keiji Ohata5, Takeshi Kondo6, Hideki Motoyama7, Kyoko Hijiya2, Akihiro Aoyama8, Hiroshi Date2. 1. Central Animal Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. 2. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. 3. Department of Aerospace Psychology, Nagoya University, Japan. 4. Research Institute of Disaster management and EMS, Kokushikan University, Tokyo, Japan. 5. Department of Gastroenterology, NTT Medical Center Tokyo,Higashi-gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Japan. 6. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan. 7. Department of Hepatology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan 8. Department of Public Health and Health Systems, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Abstract
Objectives: Anti-oxidant effects of hydrogen have been reported in studies examining ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of immersing lungs in hydrogen-rich saline on lung IRI. Methods: Lewis rats were divided into three groups: (i) sham, (ii) normal saline and (iii) hydrogen-rich saline. In the first experiment, the left thoracic cavity was filled with either normal saline or hydrogen-rich saline for 1 h. Then, we measured the hydrogen concentration in the left lung using a sensor gas chromatograph ( N = 3 per group). In the second experiment, lung IRI was induced by occlusion of the left pulmonary hilum for 1 h, followed by reperfusion for 3 h. During the ischaemic period, the left thoracic cavity was filled with either normal saline or hydrogen-rich saline. After reperfusion, we assessed lung function, histological changes and cytokine production ( N = 5-7 per group). Results: Immersing lungs in hydrogen-rich saline resulted in an elevated hydrogen concentration in the lung (6.9 ± 2.9 μmol/1 g lung). After IRI, pulmonary function (pulmonary compliance and oxygenation levels) was significantly higher in the hydrogen-rich saline group than in the normal saline group ( P < 0.05). Similarly, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (interleukin-1β and interleukin-6) in the left lung were significantly lower in the hydrogen-rich saline group than in the normal saline group ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: Immersing lungs in hydrogen-rich saline delivered hydrogen into the lung and consequently attenuated lung IRI. Hydrogen-rich solution appears to be a promising approach to managing lung IRI.
Objectives: Anti-oxidant effects of hydrogen have been reported in studies examining ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of immersing lungs in hydrogen-rich saline on lung IRI. Methods: Lewis rats were divided into three groups: (i) sham, (ii) normal saline and (iii) hydrogen-rich saline. In the first experiment, the left thoracic cavity was filled with either normal saline or hydrogen-rich saline for 1 h. Then, we measured the hydrogen concentration in the left lung using a sensor gas chromatograph ( N = 3 per group). In the second experiment, lung IRI was induced by occlusion of the left pulmonary hilum for 1 h, followed by reperfusion for 3 h. During the ischaemic period, the left thoracic cavity was filled with either normal saline or hydrogen-rich saline. After reperfusion, we assessed lung function, histological changes and cytokine production ( N = 5-7 per group). Results: Immersing lungs in hydrogen-rich saline resulted in an elevated hydrogen concentration in the lung (6.9 ± 2.9 μmol/1 g lung). After IRI, pulmonary function (pulmonary compliance and oxygenation levels) was significantly higher in the hydrogen-rich saline group than in the normal saline group ( P < 0.05). Similarly, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (interleukin-1β and interleukin-6) in the left lung were significantly lower in the hydrogen-rich saline group than in the normal saline group ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: Immersing lungs in hydrogen-rich saline delivered hydrogen into the lung and consequently attenuated lung IRI. Hydrogen-rich solution appears to be a promising approach to managing lung IRI.