Molecular hydrogen medicine: Possible mechanisms of hydrogen antioxidant activity

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24500882
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: OHSAWA Ikuroh 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究副部長 (30343586)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 水素分子 / 酸化ストレス / ミトコンドリア / 培養細胞 / 抗がん剤副作用 / マウスモデル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Molecular hydrogen (H2) selectively reduces toxic reactive oxygen species including hydroxyl radical and ameliorates oxidative stress-induced injuries in vivo. However, precise mechanisms underlying the remarkable effect with a small amount of H2 remain unclear. In the current study, we investigated the effect of H2 on mitochondria in cultured neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y and found that H2 enhanced mitochondrial membrane potential and cellular ATP accompanying a decrease in reduced glutathione and an increase in superoxide. Pretreatment of cells with H2 suppressed the H2O2-induced cell death, whereas posttreatment did not. An increase in antioxidative enzymes of the pretreated cells indicated the possibility that a mild stress with H2 induce an increased resistance to exacerbated oxidative stress. We propose here that H2 functions both as a radical scavenger and “a mitohormetic effector” against oxidative stress.

Free Research Field

分子老化学・細胞生物学