Hydrogen sulfide treatment reduces blood pressure and oxidative stress in angiotensin II-induced hypertensive mice.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is increasingly recognized as a gasotransmitter with protective effects in the cardiovascular system. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of chronic NaHS treatment on blood pressure, vascular function and oxidative stress in an in vivo model of hypertension and oxidative stress. Male C57Bl6/J mice were rendered hypertensive with 0.7 mg kg(-1) per day angiotensin II (AngII) for 14 days administered via implanted mini-pumps. The mice were treated with NaHS (10 µmol kg(-1) per day) to deliver H2S or an inhibitor of cystathionine-γ-lyase, DL-propargylglycine (PPG 30 mg kg(-1) per day) via intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. Systolic blood pressure was measured and vascular function examined by myography. Vascular superoxide production was measured by lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence. AngII infusion significantly increased systolic blood pressure (P < 0.001). This increase was significantly attenuated by treatment with NaHS (P < 0.001). Both aortic endothelial function and NO bioavailability were significantly attenuated in the AngII group (P < 0.01) but this attenuation was reversed by NaHS treatment. Similarly, aortic superoxide anion production was significantly enhanced by AngII (P < 0.01), and this was reversed by NaHS treatment, and also exacerbated by PPG treatment (P < 0.001). These data show that in a mouse model of hypertension and oxidative stress induced by AngII, exogenous H2S treatment in vivo reduces blood pressure, endothelial dysfunction and vascular oxidative stress, while inhibiting endogenous H2S production in vivo is deleterious. This furthers the evidence that H2S is a vasoprotective molecule that may be a useful treatment target in cardiovascular disease.

Hydrogen sulfide protects endothelial nitric oxide function under conditions of acute oxidative stress in vitro.

The aim of this study was to examine the ability of H2S, released from NaHS to protect vascular endothelial function under conditions of acute oxidative stress by scavenging superoxide anions (O2(-)) and suppressing vascular superoxide anion production. O2(-) was generated in Krebs' solution by reacting hypoxanthine with xanthine oxidase (Hx-XO) or with the O2(-) generator pyrogallol to model acute oxidative stress in vitro. O2(-) generation was measured by lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence. Functional responses in mouse aortic rings were assessed using a small vessel myograph. NaHS scavenged O2(-) in a concentration-dependent manner. Isolated aortic rings exposed to either Hx-XO or pyrogallol displayed significantly attenuated maximum vasorelaxation responses to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine, and significantly reduced NO bioavailability, which was completely reversed if vessels were pre-incubated with NaHS (100 µM). NADPH-stimulated aortic O2(-) production was significantly attenuated by the NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyl iodonium. Prior treatment of vessels with NaHS (100 nM-100 µM; 30 min) inhibited NADPH-stimulated aortic O2(-) production in a concentration-dependent manner. This effect persisted when NaHS was washed out prior to measuring NADPH-stimulated O2(-) production. These data show for the first time that NaHS directly scavenges O2(-) and suppresses vascular NADPH oxidase-derived O2(-) production in vitro. Furthermore, these properties protect endothelial function and NO bioavailability in an in vitro model of acute oxidative stress. These results suggest that H2S can elicit vasoprotection by both scavenging O2(-) and by reducing vascular NADPH oxidase-derived O2(-) production.

Mechanism of vasorelaxation and role of endogenous hydrogen sulfide production in mouse aorta.

This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of H(2)S-induced vasorelaxation. Vasorelaxation responses to the H(2)S donor NaHS and the H(2)S precursor L: -cysteine were examined by measuring isometric tone of mouse aortic rings in a small vessel myograph. H(2)S concentrations in Krebs' solution were determined with a polarographic sensor. H(2)S expression was examined by Western blot, and H(2)S production from CSE was assayed using a spectroscopic method. In pre-constricted mouse aorta, NaHS (1 µM-3 mM) elicited vasorelaxation of 95 ± 7%, EC(50) 189 ± 69 µM. This response was unaffected by removal of the endothelium. Maximum vasorelaxation was significantly attenuated by global blockade of K(+) channels (50 mM K(+)) and the K(ATP) channel blocker glibenclamide (10 µM) alone (P < 0.01, ANOVA). Specific inhibition of K(Ca), K(IR), or K(V) channels elicited a significant shift to the right in the concentration-response curve to NaHS (P < 0.01, ANOVA) without affecting maximum relaxation. NaHS-mediated vasorelaxation was inhibited by the Cl(-) channel inhibitor DIDS (1 mM, P < 0.05, t test), and NaHS caused a significant concentration-dependent inhibition of voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels (P < 0.001, two-way ANOVA). The H(2)S-producing enzyme cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) was expressed in mouse aorta and had activity of 7 ± 3 µmol H(2)S/g/min. L: -cysteine (1 µM-3 mM) elicited a CSE-dependent vasorelaxation of mouse aorta with intact endothelium (20 ± 7%), but not when the endothelium was removed. CSE inhibitors DL: -propargylglycine (20 mM) and ß-cyanoalanine (1 mM) caused concentration-dependent contraction of mouse aorta. In mouse aorta, H(2)S elicits endothelium-independent vasorelaxation involving several different ion channels and seems to converge at the vascular smooth muscle cell voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel. The L: -cysteine-CSE-H(2)S pathway contributes to vasorelaxation and appears to modulate basal vessel tone.