title: Hydrogen is neuroprotective and preserves cerebrovascular reactivity in asphyxiated newborn pigs.
abstract: Hydrogen (H2) has been reported to neutralize toxic reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress is an important mechanism of neuronal damage after perinatal asphyxia. We examined whether 2.1% H2-supplemented room air (H2-RA) ventilation would preserve cerebrovascular reactivity (CR) and brain morphology after asphyxia/reventilation (A/R) in newborn pigs. Anesthetized, ventilated piglets were assigned to one of the following groups: A/R with RA or H2-RA ventilation (A/R-RA and A/R-H2-RA; n = 8 and 7, respectively) and respective time control groups (n = 9 and 7). Asphyxia was induced by suspending ventilation for 10 min, followed by reventilation with the respective gases for 4 h. After euthanasia, the brains were processed for neuropathological examination. Pial arteriolar diameter changes to graded hypercapnia (5-10% CO2 inhalation), and NMDA (10(-4) M) were determined using the closed cranial window/intravital microscopy before and 1 h after asphyxia. Neuropathology revealed that H2-RA ventilation significantly reduced neuronal injury induced by A/R in virtually all examined brain regions including the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and the brainstem. Furthermore, H2-RA ventilation significantly increased CR to hypercapnia after A/R (% vasodilation was 23 ± 4% versus 41 ± 9%, p < 0.05). H2-RA ventilation did not affect reactive oxygen species-dependent CR to NMDA. In summary, H2-RA could be a promising approach to reduce the neurologic deficits after perinatal asphyxia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Szeged School of Medicine, Szeged H-6720, Hungary. domoki@phys.szote.u-szeged.hu
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Domoki
authors.forename: Orsolya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oláh
authors.forename: Aliz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Németh
authors.forename: Valéria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tóth-Szuki
authors.forename: Marietta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hugyecz
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Temesvári
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000378:metabolism; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D006859:Hydrogen