# Hydrogen-rich solution attenuates cold ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat liver transplantation.
> 水素富化溶液によるラット肝移植における冷虚血再灌流障害の軽減効果


## Abstract

Liver transplantation faces challenges related to marginal donor grafts, where ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) can lead to primary non-function and graft loss. This study examined whether hydrogen-enriched University of Wisconsin (UW) preservation solution could reduce IRI in an isogenic orthotopic rat liver transplant model. Grafts were stored in hydrogen-rich UW solution prepared using a hydrogen-rich water bath, and samples were collected 6 hours post-reperfusion. Compared with controls, the hydrogen-enriched group exhibited significantly lower serum hepatic enzyme levels, markedly improved histological damage scores, reduced oxidative stress markers, decreased hepatocyte apoptosis, a tendency toward lower proinflammatory cytokine expression, and significantly elevated heme oxygenase (HO)-1 protein levels. These findings indicate that hydrogen-rich preservation solution confers both functional and morphological protection against cold IRI, with HO-1 upregulation identified as a key contributing mechanism.

### Mechanism

Storage in hydrogen-enriched UW solution upregulates heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression, which in turn suppresses oxidative damage, hepatocyte apoptosis, and proinflammatory cytokine production, thereby mitigating cold ischemia-reperfusion injury in liver grafts.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Uto K, Sakamoto S, Que W, Shimata K, Hashimoto S, Sakisaka M, et al.
- **Journal**: BMC Gastroenterol
- **Year**: 2019 (2019-02-08)
- **PMID**: [30736744](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30736744/)
- **DOI**: [10.1186/s12876-019-0939-7](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12876-019-0939-7)
- **PMC**: [PMC6368804](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6368804/)
- **Study type**: animal study
- **Delivery route**: injection / infusion
- **Effect reported**: positive

## Delivery context

Intravenous hydrogen-saline infusion is a clinic-only route and is not viable for everyday self-administration. For routine hydrogen intake, inhalation is the most practical route, but inhalation carries explosion risk and concentration matters (empirical LFL of 10%; high-concentration 66% / 100% devices are not recommended).

## Safety notes

Intravenous hydrogen-saline infusion is a clinic-only route and is not viable for everyday self-administration. For routine hydrogen intake, inhalation is the most practical route, but inhalation carries explosion risk and concentration matters (empirical LFL of 10%; high-concentration 66% / 100% devices are not recommended).

See also:
- [Inhalation concentration and LFL / UFL](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/inhalation-concentration)
- [Consumer Affairs Agency accident cases](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/accident-cases)
- [Inhalation safety threshold lineage](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/lineage)

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> **Cite as**: H2 Papers — PMID 30736744. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/30736744
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [30736744](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30736744/)