title: Protective effects of hydrogen on fetal brain injury during maternal hypoxia.
abstract: This study aimed to investigate the effects of hydrogen on fetal brain injury during maternal hypoxia. Pregnant rats (n=12, at gestational day 17) were randomly assigned into three groups; air, hypoxia, and hypoxia plus hydrogen groups were put into a chamber and flushed with room air (21% O2 and 79% N2), hypoxia (8% O2 and 92% N2), and hypoxia with hydrogen mixture (2% H2, 8% O2 and 90% N2), respectively, for 4 consecutive hours. After birth, body and brain weights, body-righting reflex, and negative geotropism of neonates were measured, and then pups were killed at days 1 and 7. Oligodendrocytes were studied at post-natal day 1 by immunohistochemistry. We found significant decreases in body weight in the hypoxia group (P<0.05 vs. room air group), but not in the hypoxia plus hydrogen group (P>0.05 vs. room air group). Even though brain weight was not different among groups, the brain weight to body weight ratio in the room air group was significantly (P<0.05) lower than that in the hypoxia alone or hypoxia plus hydrogen groups. Body-righting reflex at day 1 and negative geotropism at days 3-4 showed deficiency in hypoxia animals when compared with the room air group (P<0.05). Hydrogen treatment improved the body-righting reflex and negative geotropism (P<0.05 vs. room air group). The above-mentioned functional changes caused by hypoxia were not associated with morphology and cell death of oligodendrocytes. Therefore, the maternal hypoxia-induced body weight loss, and functional abnormalities and hydrogen treatment during hypoxia offered a protective effect and improved functions in neonates.
authors: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Loma Linda University, School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
authors: Wenwu
authors: W
authors: Liu
authors: Oumei
authors: O
authors: Chen
authors: Chunhua
authors: C
authors: Chen
authors: Bihua
authors: B
authors: Wu
authors: Jiping
authors: J
authors: Tang
authors: John H
authors: JH
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015087:2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D005260:Female; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D006859:Hydrogen; D015087:2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases