Hydrogen in Endometrial Uterine Cancer TreatmentScientific Research

Hydrogen shows promise in treating the most common gynecological cancer

Abstract:

Hydrogen gas has been shown to have potential therapeutic effects against endometrial cancer, the most common gynecological cancer worldwide. A 2019 study conducted at Shanghai University hospitals and laboratories aimed to evaluate the antitumor activity of hydrogen and elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms in endometrial cancer cells.

Methods:

The study employed two human endometrial cancer cell lines. Endometrial cancer cells were cultured in a hydrogen-enriched environment for 24 hours. Six replicates were used to assess the quality of the results, with cells divided into hydrogen-treated and control groups. RNA sequencing was performed to investigate the roles of signaling pathways and functional gene groups in hydrogen-treated endometrial cancer cells.

Key Findings:

Hydrogen was found to induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in endometrial cancer cells. Apoptosis levels in endometrial cancer cells were significantly increased following 24-hour hydrogen treatment compared to the control group. To assess the potential role of hydrogen therapy in combination with radiotherapy, hydrogen-treated cancer cells were exposed to radiation. The results demonstrated that the combination of hydrogen therapy and radiotherapy enhanced the rate of programmed cell death in tumors by approximately 60% compared to hydrogen-untreated cells.

Discussion:

Obesity and insulin resistance are considered risk factors for endometrial cancer. Molecular hydrogen has been demonstrated to have therapeutic potential for type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and various inflammatory diseases. Hydrogen can easily penetrate cell biological membranes and diffuse into the cytosol, mitochondria, and nucleus. It is administered as an inert gas for inhalation at normal body temperature or dissolved in water to produce hydrogen water or hydrogen saline, offering anti-inflammatory approaches for treating pathological conditions.

Conclusion:

The findings of this study support the notion that molecular hydrogen holds promise as a novel therapeutic approach for endometrial cancer.


The Original Article:

original title: RNA sequencing analysis reveals apoptosis induction by hydrogen treatment in endometrial cancer via TNF and NF-κB pathways

Authors:

Jun-Song Chen, Wei Bao, Xiao-Wei Xi, Ye Yang, Yin-Ping Liu

DOI: 10.21037/tcr.2020.03.71

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Abstract:

Background: To evaluate the activity of hydrogen in endometrial cancer and elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods: Ishikawa, HEC1A and AN3CA cells were incubated in DMEM medium with or without hydrogen. RNA sequencing was used to explore the association of hydrogen treatment with signaling pathways and functional genes in endometrial cancer cells. The apoptotic rates of the three endometrial cancer cells were evaluated by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) Annexin V and Annexin V-allophycocyanin (APC)/propidium iodide double staining.

Results: RNA sequencing analysis revealed that hydrogen induced TNF/NF-κB and apoptosis pathways in endometrial cancer cells. The gene sets between hydrogen treatment groups and non-treated groups were mapped in accordance with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Hydrogen treatment significantly increased the apoptotic rates of endometrial cancer cells. Conclusions: Taken together, our data indicate that hydrogen can serve as a therapeutic target for endometrial cancer via TNF/NF-κB pathway and apoptosis induction.

Original Publication
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