H2 gas promotes lung cancer cell apoptosisScientific Research

Hydrogen therapy aids lung cancer treatment by destroying cancer cells 

Hydrogen therapy stimulates the destruction of cancer cells and thus aids in the treatment of lung cancer. A recent study explores how hydrogen can play a crucial role in medical treatments. This breakthrough offers a new approach to fighting lung cancer and could lead to more effective therapies.

When treated with hydrogen, most of the lung cancer cells die.

Hydrogen therapy involves inhaling hydrogen or using water with hydrogen. It has attracted the attention of researchers because of its potential health benefits, especially in treating diseases like lung cancer. This therapy has been studied for its ability to regulate body processes harmlessly and effectively.

The research was funded by China’s Highly Trained Personnel Training Program. It was conducted in a controlled laboratory environment using established lung cancer cell lines, specifically A549 and H1975 cells, which are commonly used for cancer research. The researchers exposed these cells to hydrogen to see how it affected their ability to live and grow. They also weaken the cells’ cleaning system called autophagy.

When treated with hydrogen, most of the lung cancer cells die. The study also found that when the cells’ cleaning system is weakened, hydrogen is even better at destroying them.

Hydrogen reduces the growth of cancer cells.

The researchers studied how different amounts of hydrogen affect cancer cells over time. They looked for specific proteins that are markers of cell death, and found that larger amounts of hydrogen lead to more of these markers.

The study also investigated the causes of these effects of hydrogen. It turns out that hydrogen interacts with a pathway in cells known as the STAT3/Bcl2 signaling pathway. This pathway normally helps cancer cells survive under harsh conditions. Hydrogen reduces survival signals in cancer cells and increases activity that leads to their death by blocking this pathway.

The study found that treating cancer cells with hydrogen reduced their growth and increased the rate of programmed cell death. This is a process by which cells self-destruct naturally and it is often disrupted in this type of cell. 

Interestingly, the benefits of hydrogen are more pronounced when certain cellular processes known as autophagy are suppressed. Normally, autophagy helps cells survive stress by removing damaged components, but in cancer treatment, limiting this process can enhance hydrogen’s therapeutic effect.

The results suggest that hydrogen therapy may be a valuable addition to lung cancer treatment protocols. By modifying cellular processes, hydrogen may help to destroy cancer cells more effectively. Although these results are promising, more research is needed to fully understand and optimize the potential of hydrogen in clinical settings.


The Original Article:

original title: Suppression of autophagy facilitates hydrogen gas-mediated lung cancer cell apoptosis

DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11973

Published on: 2020


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Abstract:

Our previous study found that hydrogen gas (H2) could efficiently inhibit lung cancer progression; however, the underlying mechanisms still remains to be elucidated. The present study aimed to explore the roles of H2 in lung cancer cell autophagy, and reveal the effects of autophagy on H2-mediated lung cancer cell apoptosis and the underlying mechanisms. The expression levels of proteins associated with cell apoptosis and autophagy were detected using western blot analysis. Cell autophagy was inhibited by 3-methyladenine treatment or Beclin1 downregulation, while rapamycin was used to induce autophagy. Cell growth and apoptosis were detected using the Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry assays, respectively. The results demonstrated that cell apoptosis and autophagy were significantly enhanced in the A549 and H1975 lung cancer cell lines treated with H2. However, autophagy enhancement weakened H2 roles in promoting cell apoptosis and vice versa. In addition, it was found that H2 treatment induced marked decreases in the protein expression levels of phosphorylated STAT3 and Bcl2, and overexpression of STAT3 abolished H2 roles in promoting cell apoptosis and autophagy. Overall, the present study revealed that H2 can promote lung cancer cell apoptosis and autophagy via inhibiting the activation of STAT3/Bcl2 signaling and suppression of autophagy can enhance H2 roles in promoting lung cancer cell apoptosis.

Authors:

Gang Chen, Jinghong Meng, Leyuan Liu, Yuanyuan Wang, Zhenfeng Yan

Original Publication
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