Chinese researchers have developed a new biomaterial scaffold that releases hydrogen, showing promise for improving bone repair in older individuals. This could offer a novel approach to addressing age-related bone fractures, a major health concern for an aging population.

Led by He Qianjun of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tang Wei of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the team developed a hydrogen-releasing structure within a biomedical scaffold named CSN@PHA-MBG, demonstrating promising anti-aging effects.

Published in the Nature Communications journal late last month, the academic paper detailed the team's findings. The scaffold, constructed with a porous structure predominantly utilizing nanometer-level calcium silicide, exhibited the ability to release hydrogen molecules sustainably for approximately a week.

The researchers highlighted that hydrogen molecules played a crucial role in remodeling the microenvironment of aging-damaged bones, reactivating the regenerative and repair capacities of local bone tissues. Aging cells often contribute to diseases affecting seniors, and the senescence microenvironment impedes the self-repair mechanisms of injured tissues, resulting in slower bone healing, particularly in the elderly.

While hydrogen is commonly associated with anti-inflammatory therapies, its link to treating aging-related diseases is relatively unexplored, according to the research team.

In extensive studies conducted on laboratory rats aged 24 months (equivalent to 70-year-old humans), hydrogen demonstrated broad-spectrum anti-aging effects on various bone cells. Notably, these effects included enhanced remodeling of the microenvironment and a weakened impact on the direct clearance of aged cells.

The scaffold, characterized by low toxicity and easy metabolization in the human body, exhibited remarkable improvements in tissue regeneration and repair capabilities when applied to injured bone tissue. The sustained release of hydrogen molecules from the scaffold was identified as a key factor in achieving these positive outcomes.

Concluding their findings, the research team emphasized the scaffold's effectiveness, low toxicity, and considerable potential for clinical applications. They highlighted that the localized release of hydrogen presented a promising new avenue for treating chronic diseases associated with aging.