Antioxidant Properties of Hydrogen Gas Attenuates Oxidative Stress in Airway Epithelial Cells

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the development of airway diseases. Recently, hydrogen (H ) gas has been explored for its antioxidant properties. This study investigated the role of H gas in oxidative stress-induced alveolar and bronchial airway injury, where A549 and NCI-H292 cells were stimulated with hydrogen peroxide (H O ) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro. Results show that time-dependent administration of 2% H gas recovered the cells from oxidative stress. Various indicators including reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione peroxidase), intracellular calcium, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway were examined to analyze the redox profile. The viability of A549 and NCI-H292 cells and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were reduced following induction by H O and LPS but were later recovered using H gas. Additionally, the levels of oxidative stress markers, including ROS and NO, were elevated upon induction but were attenuated after treatment with H gas. Furthermore, H gas suppressed oxidative stress-induced MAPK activation and maintained calcium homeostasis. This study suggests that H gas can rescue airway epithelial cells from H O and LPS-induced oxidative stress and may be a potential intervention for airway diseases.