Effect of molecular hydrogen treatment on Sepsis-Associated encephalopathy in mice based on gut microbiota

Abstract

Introduction: In our experiments, male wild-type mice were randomly divided into four groups: the sham, SAE, SAE + 2% hydrogen gas inhalation (H2), and SAE + hydrogen-rich water (HW) groups. The feces of the mice were collected for 16 S rDNA analysis 24 h after the models were established, and the serum and brain tissue of the mice were collected for nontargeted metabolomics analysis. Aim: Destruction of the intestinal microbiota is a risk factor for sepsis and subsequent organ dysfunction, and up to 70% of severely ill patients with sepsis exhibit varying degrees of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). The pathogenesis of SAE remains unclear. We aimed to explore the changes in gut microbiota in SAE and the regulatory mechanism of molecular hydrogen. Results: Molecular hydrogen treatment significantly improved the functional out-come of SAE and downregulated inflammatory reactions in both the brain and the gut. In addition, molecular hydrogen treatment improved gut microbiota dysbiosis and partially amended metabolic disorder after SAE. Conclusions: Molecular hydrogen treatment promotes functional outcomes after SAE in mice, which may be attributable to increasing beneficial bacteria, repressing harmful bacteria, and metabolic disorder, and reducing inflammation.

Study details

Article type

Original Research

Disease / injury model

Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy

Dose-dependent effect

No

Outcome

Mixed

Findings

Hydrogen inhalation and HW drinking were used to determine the mode of action of hydrogen therapy on the intestinal flora. There was no significant difference in α diversity in the gut microbiota of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) mice treated with H2 or HW, but β diversity showed differences among the groups. We found that Akkermansia was significantly enriched at the genus level in the feces of the SAE group after treatment with hydrogen and HW.