Wound healing is a complex dynamic process involving a large number of biological events. Excessive oxidative stress is a key factor delaying wound healing.
Hydrogen is an
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic medical gas with safety, effectiveness, and penetrability. However, the effects of local treatment of
hydrogen on wound healing and its potential mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, Kunming (KM) mice were used to set up a
wound model. All the mice were randomly divided into the control, the local treatment with saline group, the local treatment with the
hydrogen-rich saline group, and the
intraperitoneal injection of the
hydrogen-rich saline group. To evaluate the impact of
hydrogen-rich saline on wound healing, we assessed the wound healing rate,
wound closure time, histomorphology, oxidative stress indicators, inflammatory
cytokines, the apoptosis index, and the expression of the nuclear factor-erythroid-related factor 2(Nrf-2). Furthermore, the immortalized nontumorigenic human epidermal (HaCaT) cells were chosen to investigate the
therapeutic effects of
hydrogen-rich medium on oxidative stress and its underlying mechanisms. The results showed that local treatment of
hydrogen-rich saline shortened
wound closure time and reduced the level of proinflammatory
cytokines and lipid peroxidation. Meanwhile, it decreased the cell apoptosis index and increased the Nrf-2 expression. Besides,
hydrogen-rich medium relieved the oxidative stress via the activation of the Nrf-2/
heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway. In conclusion, local treatment of
hydrogen-rich saline exhibits the healing-promoting function through
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects.
Hydrogen relieves the oxidative stress in the
wound microenvironment via Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling pathway. This study may offer a new strategy to promote wound healing and a new perspective to illustrate the mechanism of wound healing.