title: Novel insights into hydrogen sulfide--mediated cytoprotection.
abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is a colorless, water soluble, flammable gas that has the characteristic smell of rotten eggs. Like other members of the gasotransmitter family (nitric oxide and carbon monoxide), H(2)S has traditionally been considered to be a highly toxic gas and environmental hazard. However, much like for nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, the initial negative perception of H(2)S has evolved with the discovery that H(2)S is produced enzymatically in mammals under normal conditions. As a result of this discovery, there has been a great deal of work to elucidate the physiological role of H(2)S. H(2)S is now recognized to be cytoprotective in various models of cellular injury. Specifically, it has been demonstrated that the acute administration of H(2)S, either prior to ischemia or at reperfusion, significantly ameliorates in vitro or in vivo myocardial and hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. These studies have also demonstrated a cardioprotective role for endogenous H(2)S. This review article summarizes the current body of evidence demonstrating the cytoprotective effects of H(2)S with an emphasis on the cardioprotective effects. This review also provides a detailed description of the current signaling mechanisms shown to be responsible for these cardioprotective actions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Calvert
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Coetzee
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lefer
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000187:drug effects; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects*; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D019157:Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial; D054086:KATP Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D054086:KATP Channels; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide