Evidence that hydrogen sulphide can modulate hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis function: in vitro and in vivo studies in the rat.
The gas hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is normally produced in large amounts in the central nervous system during the metabolism of sulphur-containing aminoacids. H2S was recently shown to influence long-term potentiation in the rat hippocampus; this finding suggested that the gas may act as a neuromodulator in the brain. We therefore tested the effect of the gas on the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from rat hypothalamic explants. CRH immunoreactivity in the incubation media was taken as a marker of peptide release. We found that the addition of NaHS to incubation media was consistently associated with a concentration-dependent decrease in KCl-stimulated CRH release, whereas basal secretion was unaffected. Increased endogenous H2S production may be also obtained using an indirect precursor of H2S formation, S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe). The latter mimicked the effects of NaHS, since it reduced potassium-stimulated CRH release. In vivo, SAMe showed no effect on hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function under resting conditions, but inhibited stress-related glucocorticoid increase.
Dello Russo
C
C
Institute of Pharmacology, Catholic University Medical School, Rome, Italy.
Tringali
G
G
Ragazzoni
E
E
Maggiano
N
N
Menini
E
E
Vairano
M
M
Preziosi
P
P
Navarra
P
P
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000378:metabolism; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013312:Stress, Physiological
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide