Neuroprotection of phtoreceptor by drinking hydrogen water on retinitis pigmentosa model

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09425
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56060:Ophthalmology-related
• Research Institution: Nippon Medical School
• Principal Investigator: Igarashi Toru 日本医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (30232151)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 高橋 浩 日本医科大学, 大学院医学研究科, 大学院教授 (00188046) ; 五十嵐 勉 日本医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (10421190) ; 奥田 貴久 日本大学, 医学部, 教授 (20620305)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 網膜色素変性 / 水素 / 治療

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetically heterogeneous group of inherited retinal disorders involving the progressive dysfunction of photoreceptors and the retinal pigment epithelium, for which there is currently no treatment. The rd6 mouse is a natural model of autosomal recessive retinal degeneration. We hypothesized that ingestion of H2 water may delay the progression of photoreceptor death in rd6 mice. H2 mice showed significantly higher retinal thickness as compared to controls on optical coherence tomography. Histopathological and morphometric analyses revealed higher thickness of the outer nuclear layer for H2 mice than controls, as well as higher counts of opsin red/green-positive cells. Our results show that drinking water high in H2 (1.2-1.6 ppm) had neuroprotective effects and inhibited photoreceptor death in mice, and suggest the potential of H2 for the treatment of RP.

Free Research Field

神経分野

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、本邦の失明原因2位の疾患であり有効な治療法のない網膜色素変性に対して、モデルマウスに対する水素水飲用により視細胞保護効果について検討し、水素水飲用による視細胞保護効果を示した。今後、臨床的な治療に向けて応用が期待される。
本研究は、2022年、Scientific reportsにて報告を行った。（https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-17903-8）