title: Intestinal epithelial cell injury is rescued by hydrogen sulfide.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been reported to have a protective function against oxidative stress in the gut. We hypothesize that administration of H2S can help decrease intestinal epithelial cell injury in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-18) were treated with 200μM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 21h. At 21h sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), an H2S donor, was administered as a rescue treatment at two different concentrations: 0.1mM and 0.2mM. At 24h, cell viability was measured using a colorimetric assay (MTT). Oxidative stress was studied by glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). IL-6 and TNFα levels were tested to study inflammation. Data were presented as mean±SD and compared using one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to control, H2O2-treated IEC-18 had reduced viability (p<0.01), lower GPx activity (p<0.01), higher TBARS levels (p<0.01), and increased IL6 and TNFα (p<0.001). Compared to H2O2-treated IEC-18, treatment with 0.2mM NaHS rescued viability (p<0.01), increased GPx activity (p<0.05), and reduced TBARS (p<0.01), IL6 and TNFα (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  H2S successfully rescues epithelial cell damage induced by oxidative stress in vitro. This indicates that H2S could be a potential pharmacological intervention in conditions like NEC.
authors.affiliation: Division of General and Thoracic Surgery, Physiology and Experimental Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Division of General and Thoracic Surgery, Physiology and Experimental Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zani
authors.affiliation: Division of General and Thoracic Surgery, Physiology and Experimental Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Zechariah
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Division of General and Thoracic Surgery, Physiology and Experimental Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of General and Thoracic Surgery, Physiology and Experimental Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zani-Ruttenstock
authors.affiliation: UCL Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eaton
authors.affiliation: Division of General and Thoracic Surgery, Physiology and Experimental Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address: agostino.pierro@sickkids.ca.
authors.forename: Agostino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pierro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000009:adverse effects; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide
keywords: Colitis; H(2)S; NEC; NaHS; Necrotizing enterocolitis; Oxidative stress