Fig. 3
From: Molecular hydrogen is a potential protective agent in the management of acute lung injury
Molecular hydrogen alleviates the hyperpermeability of the vascular endothelium in ALI. The interendothelial junctions of ECs include tight junctions and adherens junctions. Occludin and claudins are linked to the zonula occludens. The cytoplasmic domain of VE-cadherin binds to α-catenin and β-catenin to firmly maintain EC–EC junctions. RhoA activates Rho kinases and myosin light chain kinase, which phosphorylates the myosin light chain, inducing actomyosin contractility and weakening endothelial cell–cell adhesion. Molecular hydrogen could increase the expression of VE-cadherin and occludin. It also inhibits the expression of RhoA, reduces the expression of ICAM-1 and its release from the cell, and inhibits the adhesion of monocytes to ECs