title: Role of hydrogen sulfide in portal hypertension and esophagogastric junction vascular disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and portal hypertension as well as its effect on vascular smooth muscle cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Portal hypertension patients were categorized by Child-Pugh score based on bilirubin and albumin levels, prothrombin time, ascites and hepatic encephalopathy. Plasma H₂S concentrations and portal vein diameters (PVDs) were compared between portal hypertension patients and control participants, as well as between portal hypertension patients with varying degrees of severity. In addition, we established a rabbit hepatic schistosomiasis portal hypertension (SPH) model and analyzed liver morphology, fibrosis grade, plasma and liver tissue H₂S concentrations, as well as cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) activity and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK)1/2, B cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2 and Bcl-XL expression in portal vein smooth muscle cells, in addition to their H₂S-induced apoptosis rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In portal hypertension patients, endogenous H₂S levels were significantly lower than those in healthy controls. The more severe the disease was, the lower were the H₂S plasma levels, which were inversely correlated with PVD and Child-Pugh score. Liver tissue H₂S concentrations and CSE expression were significantly lower in the SPH rabbit livers compared with the control animals, starting at 3 wk, whereas pERK 1/2 expressions gradually increased 12-20 wk after SPH model establishment. In portal vein smooth muscle cells, increasing H₂S levels led to increased apoptosis, while Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL expression decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  H₂S prevents vascular restructuring caused by excessive proliferation of smooth muscle cells via apoptosis induction, which helps to maintain normal vascular structures.
authors.affiliation: Chao Wang, Dong-Jian Li, Zhen Yang, Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Chao Wang, Dong-Jian Li, Zhen Yang, Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Chao Wang, Dong-Jian Li, Zhen Yang, Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Chao Wang, Dong-Jian Li, Zhen Yang, Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Chang-E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Chao Wang, Dong-Jian Li, Zhen Yang, Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Jian
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Chao Wang, Dong-Jian Li, Zhen Yang, Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000097:blood*; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000097:blood* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000150:complications; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide
keywords: Apoptosis; B-cell lymphoma-2; B-cell lymphoma-XL; Cystathionine γ-lyase; Hydrogen sulfide; Portal hypertension; pERK 1/2