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Abstract: Molecular hydrogen serves as an antioxidant that reduces hydroxyl radicals, but not the other reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. In the past year, molecular hydrogen has been reported to prevent or ameliorate eight diseases in rodents and one in human associated with oxidative stress. In Parkinson''s disease, mitochondrial dysfunction and the associated oxidative stress are major causes of dopaminergic cell loss in the substantia nigra. We examined effects of ∼50%-saturated molecular hydrogen in drinking water before or after the stereotactic surgery on 6-hydroxydopamine-induced nigrostrital degeneration in a rat model of Parkinson''s disease. Methamphetamine-induced behavioral analysis showed that molecular hydrogen prevented both the development and progression of the nigrostrital degeneration. Tyrosine hydroxylase staining of the substantia nigra and striatum also demonstrated that pre- and post-treatment with hydrogen prevented the dopaminergic cell loss. Our studies suggest that hydrogen water is likely able to retard the development and progression of Parkinson''s disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A specialized intercellular junction between podocytes, known as the slit diaphragm (SD), forms the essential structural framework for glomerular filtration in the kidney. In addition, mounting evidence demonstrates that the SD also plays a crucial role as a signaling platform in physiological and pathological states. Nephrin, the major component of the SD, is tyrosine-phosphorylated by a Src family tyrosine kinase, Fyn, in developing or injured podocytes, recruiting Nck to Nephrin via its Src homology 2 domain to regulate dynamic actin remodeling. Dysregulated Ca2+ homeostasis has also been implicated in podocyte damage, but the mechanism of how podocytes respond to injury is largely unknown. Here we have identified phospholipase C-γ1 (PLC-γ1) as a novel phospho-Nephrin-binding protein. When HEK293T cells expressing a chimenc protein consisting of CD8 and Nephrin cytoplasmic domain (CD) were treated with anti-CD8 and anti-mouse antibodies, clustering of Nephrin and phosphorylation of Nephrin-CD were induced. Upon this clustering, PLC-γ1 was bound to phosphorylated Nephrin Tyr-1204, which induced translocation of PLC-γ1 from cytoplasm to the CD8/Nephrin cluster on the plasma membrane. The recruitment of PLC-γ1 to Nephrin activated PLC-γ1, as detected by phosphorylation of PLC-γ1 Tyr-783 and increase in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate level. We also found that Nephrin Tyr-1204 phosphorylation triggers the Ca2+ response in a PLC-γ1-dependent fashion. Furthermore, PLC-γ1 is significantly phosphorylated in injured podocytes in vivo. Given the profound effect of PLC-γ in diverse cellular functions, regulation of the Ca2+ signaling by Nephrin may be important in modulating the glomerular filtration barrier function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have reported that hydrogen (H2) acts as an efficient antioxidant by gaseous rapid diffusion. When water saturated with hydrogen (hydrogen water) was placed into the stomach of a rat, hydrogen was detected at several μM level in blood. Because hydrogen gas is unsuitable for continuous consumption, we investigated using mice whether drinking hydrogen water ad libitum, instead of inhaling hydrogen gas, prevents cognitive impairment by reducing oxidative stress. Chronic physical restraint stress to mice enhanced levels of oxidative stress markers, malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, in the brain, and impaired learning and memory, as judged by three different methods: passive avoidance learning, object recognition task, and the Morris water maze. Consumption of hydrogen water ad libitum throughout the whole period suppressed the increase in the oxidative stress markers and prevented cognitive impairment, as judged by all three methods, whereas hydrogen water did not improve cognitive ability when no stress was provided. Neural proliferation in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus was suppressed by restraint stress, as observed by 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine incorporation and Ki-67 immunostaining, proliferation markers. The consumption of hydrogen water ameliorated the reduced proliferation although the mechanistic link between the hydrogen-dependent changes in neurogenesis and cognitive impairments remains unclear. Thus, continuous consumption of hydrogen water reduces oxidative stress in the brain, and prevents the stress-induced decline in learning and memory caused by chronic physical restraint. Hydrogen water may be applicable for preventive use in cognitive or other neuronal disorders.Neuropsychopharmacology (2009) 34, 501–508; doi:10.1038/npp.2008.95; published online 18 June 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many practical therapies have been explored as clinical applications for ischemic cerebral infarction; however, most are still insufficient to treat acute stroke. We show here a potential combination therapy in a rat focal ischemic model to improve neurological symptoms as well as to reduce infarct volumes at the maximum level. We applied protein transduction technology using artificial anti-death Bcl-xl derivative with three amino acid-substitutions (Y22 , Q26 and R165 ) (FNK) protein fused with a protein-transduction-domain peptide (PTD-FNK). When PTD-FNK was administrated 1 h after initiating ischemia followed by the administration of an immunosuppressant FK506 with a 30-min time lag, infarct volumes of the total brain and cortex were markedly reduced to 27% and 14%, respectively. This procedure not only reduced the infarct volume and edema, but also markedly improved neurological symptoms. The therapeutic effect continued for at least 1 week after ischemia. FK506 inhibited the transduction of PTD-FNK in vitro, which explains the requirement of a time lag for the administration of FK506. An additional in vitro experiment showed that PTD-FNK, when administered 30 min before FK506, gave the maximal protective effect by reducing the intracellular calcium concentration. We propose that this combination therapy would provide a synergistic protective effect by both drugs, reducing adverse the effects of FK506. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have recently showed that molecular hydrogen has great potential for selectively reducing cytotoxic reactive oxygen species, such as hydroxyl radicals, and that inhalation of hydrogen gas decreases cerebral infarction volume by reducing oxidative stress [I. Ohsawa, M. Ishikawa, K. Takahashi, M. Watanabe, K. Nishimaki, K. Yamagata, K.-I. Katsura, Y. Katayama, S. Asoh, S. Ohta, Hydrogen acts as a therapeutic antioxidant by selectively reducing cytotoxic oxygen radicals, Nat. Med., 13 (2007) 688–694]. Here we show that the inhalation of hydrogen gas is applicable for hepatic injury caused by ischemia/reperfusion, using mice. The portal triad to the left lobe and the left middle lobe of the liver were completely occluded for 90min, followed by reperfusion for 180min. Inhalation of hydrogen gas (1–4%) during the last 190min suppressed hepatic cell death, and reduced levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and hepatic malondialdehyde. In contrast, helium gas showed no protective effect, suggesting that the protective effect by hydrogen gas is specific. Thus, we propose that inhalation of hydrogen gas is a widely applicable method to reduce oxidative stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Frequent observations of allelic loss in chromosomal band 4q21–22 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have suggested the presence of one or more tumor suppressor genes in this region. We screened HCC cell lines by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) to detect alterations in expression of genes within the region in question by examining expressed sequence tags located there. These experiments identified a full-length cDNA of 2311 bp in length encoding a novel, 182-amino-acid peptide belonging to the class of nucleosome assemble protein lacking nuclear localization signal sequence. Polyclonal antibody was raised by expression of a constructed recombinant glutathione S-transferase fusion protein. in vitro expression and Western blotting revealed that the novel protein distributed in cytoplasm. This gene showed loss or extreme decrease of expression in five of 13 HCC cell lines. We named it DRLM (‘down-regulated in liver malignancy’). Our results suggest that loss of expression of DRLM at 4q21–22 may play an important role in human hepatocarcinogenesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The major side-effect of treatment with α-glucosidase inhibitors, flatulence, occurs when undigested carbohydrates are fermented by colonic bacteria, resulting in gas formation. We propose that the cardiovascular benefits of α-glucosidase inhibitors are partly attributable to their ability to neutralise oxidative stress via increased production of H2 in the gastrointestinal tract. Acarbose, which is an α-glucosidase inhibitor, markedly increased H2 production, with a weaker effect on methane production. Our hypothesis is based on our recent discovery that H2 acts as a unique antioxidant, and that when inhaled or taken orally as H2-dissolved water it ameliorates ischaemia–reperfusion injury and atherosclerosis development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]