Hydrogen-rich water alleviates radiation-induced injury to hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on radiation-induced hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) injury. Methods: Totally 32 C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups with 8 mice in each group, including control, HRW, radiation and radiation + HRW. Mice in HRW and radiation + HRW groups received 0.5 ml hydrogen-rich water per day by intragastric administration 5 min before irradiation until 7 d post-irradiation. Mice in other groups received 0.5 ml distilled water. Mice in radiation and radiation + HRW group were irradiated with 2 Gy of total body irradiation. Bone marrow cells were isolated at 15 d post-irradiation, and LSK cells were examined for the percentage of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, the ability of colony formation and reconstitution, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and cell apoptosis. Results: Compared with radiation group, the percentages of hematopoietic progenitor cells and LSK cells, colony number of bone marrow cells were significantly increased in radiation + HRW group (t = -4.935, -7.898, 5.488, P < 0.05). An elevation of donor chimerism was also found in recipient mice administered HRW after competitive bone marrow transplantation (t = -12.769, P < 0.05). Compared with radiation group, the ROS levels and cell apoptosis in LSK cells were significantly decreased (t = 4.380, 3.954, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Hydrogen-rich water exhibited a protective effect on radiation-induced HSPCs injury. (authors)