title: Chemical Biology of Hydropersulfides and Related Species: Possible Roles in Cellular Protection and Redox Signaling.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  For >20 years, physiological signaling associated with the endogenous generation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been of significant interest. Despite its presumed importance, the biochemical mechanisms associated with its actions have not been elucidated. Recent Advances: Recently it has been found that H2S-related or derived species are highly prevalent in mammalian systems and that these species may be responsible for some, if not the majority, of the biological actions attributed to H2S. One of the most prevalent and intriguing species are hydropersulfides (RSSH), which can be present at significant levels. Indeed, it appears that H2S and RSSH are intimately linked in biological systems and likely to be mutually inclusive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fact that H2S and polysulfides such as RSSH are present simultaneously means that the biological actions previously assigned to H2S can be instead because of the presence of RSSH (or other polysulfides). Thus, it remains possible that hydropersulfides are the biological effectors, and H2S serves, to a certain extent, as a marker for persulfides and polysulfides. Addressing this possibility will to a large extent be based on the chemistry of these species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Currently, it is known that persulfides possess unique and novel chemical properties that may explain their biological prevalence. However, significantly more work will be required to establish the possible physiological roles of these species. Moreover, an understanding of the regulation of their biosynthesis and degradation will become important topics in piecing together their biology. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 00, 000-000.
authors.affiliation: 1 Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires , INQUIMAE-CONICET, Ciudad Universitaria, (C1428EGA) Buenos Aires, Argentina .
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Álvarez
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Toscano
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Biology, Sonoma State University , Rohnert Park, California.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Molecular Toxicology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine , Sendai, Japan .
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akaike
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Chemistry, Sonoma State University , Rohnert Park, California.
authors.forename: Jon M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fukuto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019610:Cytoprotection; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013440:Sulfides; C051552:persulfides; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide
keywords: hydrogen sulfide; hydropersulfide; polysulfides; thiols