title: Molecular hydrogen suppresses reactive astrogliosis related to oxidative injury during spinal cord injury in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Spinal cord injury (SCI) can induce excessive astrocyte activation. Hydrogen has been deemed as a novel antioxidant. We investigated whether molecular hydrogen could act as an antiastrogliosis agent during SCI and oxidative injury in experimental rats and cultured astrocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hydrogen-rich saline (HS, 8 mL/kg, i.p.) was injected every 12 h after SCI in rats. The expression of STAT3, p-STAT3, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); the release of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α; and astrogliosis, along with the BBB score, were evaluated. Culturing astrocytes with hydrogen-rich medium, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), astrogliosis, and the release of proinflammatory cytokines were assessed after H2O2-induced injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the HS group, the expression of STAT3, p-STAT3, and GFAP and the proinflammatory cytokines were decreased in local spinal cord on postoperation day (POD) 3; on PODs 7 and 14, reactive astrogliosis was suppressed, and the locomotor function was also improved. Furthermore, hydrogen-rich medium attenuated the intracellular production of ROS (especially HO•), astrogliosis, and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in astrocytes 12 h after H2O2-induced injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Molecular hydrogen could suppress reactive astrogliosis after contusive SCI and reduce the release of proinflammatory cytokines produced by active astrocytes related to oxidative injury. Thus, molecular hydrogen is potential to be a neuroprotective agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Neuroscience Research Centre, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Fang-Ting
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Sheng-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zheng-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Xiang-Nan
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong-Bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Xue-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005911:Gliosis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D016207:Cytokines; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors; D006859:Hydrogen; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C024555:ferric chloride
keywords: Astrogliosis; Glial scar; Hydrogen; Oxidative injury; Spinal cord injury