title: Hydrogen sulfide improves left ventricular function in smoking rats via regulation of apoptosis and autophagy.
abstract: The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) against cigarette smoking-induced left ventricular dysfunction in rats. Left ventricular structure and function were assessed using two-dimensional echocardiography. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was determined by Annexin V/PI and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling staining. Cardiac autophagy was evaluated by detection of autophagy-related protein expression and observation of autophagosomes. Our results indicated that administration of NaHS (a donor of H2S) could protect against smoking-induced left ventricular systolic dysfunction. H2S was found to exert anti-apoptotic effects in the myocardium of smoking rats by inhibiting JNK and P38 mitogen-activated protein kinases pathways and activating PI3K/Akt signaling. Moreover, H2S could also reduce smoking-induced autophagic cell death via regulation of AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that H2S can improve left ventricular systolic function in smoking rats via regulation of apoptosis and autophagy.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Guoyin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Jianchang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects*; D064426:Gasotransmitters / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D064426:Gasotransmitters; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide