Hydrogen sulfide as an oxygen sensor/transducer in vertebrate hypoxic vasoconstriction and hypoxic vasodilation

Hydrogen sulfide inhibits Na+ uptake in larval zebrafish, Danio rerio

The present study investigated the role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in regulating Na(+) uptake in larval zebrafish, Danio rerio. Waterborne treatment of larvae at 4 days post-fertilization (dpf) with Na2S or GYY-4137 (chemicals known to generate H2S) significantly reduced Na(+) uptake. Exposure of larvae to water enriched with NaCl (1 mM NaCl) caused a pronounced reduction in Na(+) uptake which was prevented by pharmacological inhibition of cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) or cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), two key enzymes involved in the endogenous synthesis of H2S. Furthermore, translational gene knockdown of CSE and CBSb significantly increased the basal rate of Na(+) uptake. Waterborne treatment with Na2S significantly decreased whole-body acid excretion and reduced Na(+) uptake in larval zebrafish preexposed to acidic (pH 4.0) water (a condition shown to promote Na(+) uptake via Na(+)-H(+)-exchanger 3b, NHE3b). However, Na2S did not affect Na(+) uptake in larvae depleted of NHE3b-containing ionocytes (HR cells) after knockdown of transcription factor glial cell missing 2 (gcm2) in which Na(+) uptake occurs predominantly via Na(+)-Cl(-) co-transporter (NCC)-containing cells. These observations suggest that Na(+) uptake via NHE3b, but not NCC, is regulated by H2S. Whole-mount immunohistochemistry demonstrated that ionocytes expressing NHE3b also express CSE. These data suggests a physiologically relevant role of H2S as a mechanism to lower Na(+) uptake in zebrafish larvae, probably through its inhibitory action on NHE3b.

Exogenous hydrogen sulfide causes different hemodynamic effects in normotensive and hypertensive rats via neurogenic mechanisms

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence suggests that disturbances in H2S homeostasis may participate in the development of hypertension. In this study we compared hemodynamic responses to intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusions of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), a H2S donor, between normotensive rats (WKY), spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and angiotensin II - induced hypertensive rats (WKY-Ang II).

METHODS

We tested the effects of NaHS on mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and heart rate (HR) in 12-14-week-old, male rats. MABP and HR were continuously recorded at baseline and during ICV infusion of either vehicle (Krebs-Henseleit buffer) or NaHS.

RESULTS

ICV infusions of the vehicle did not affect MABP and HR. WKY rats infused with 30 nmol/h of NaHS showed a mild decrease in MABP and HR. ICV infusion of 100 nmol/h produced a biphasic response i.e. mild hypotension and bradycardia followed by an increase in MABP and HR, whereas, the infusion of 300 nmol/h of the H2S donor caused a monophasic increases in MABP and HR. In contrast, SHR rats as well as WKY-Ang II rats showed a decrease in MABP and HR during ICV infusions of NaHS.

CONCLUSIONS

The results provide further evidence for the involvement of H2S in the neurogenic regulation of the circulatory system and suggest that alterations in H2S signaling in the brain could be associated with hypertension.

Antenatal hypoxia and pulmonary vascular function and remodeling

This review provides evidence that antenatal hypoxia, which represents a significant and worldwide problem, causes prenatal programming of the lung. A general overview of lung development is provided along with some background regarding transcriptional and signaling systems of the lung. The review illustrates that antenatal hypoxic stress can induce a continuum of responses depending on the species examined. Fetuses and newborns of certain species and specific human populations are well acclimated to antenatal hypoxia. However, antenatal hypoxia causes pulmonary vascular disease in fetuses and newborns of most mammalian species and humans. Disease can range from mild pulmonary hypertension, to severe vascular remodeling and dangerous elevations in pressure. The timing, length, and magnitude of the intrauterine hypoxic stress are important to disease development, however there is also a genetic-environmental relationship that is not yet completely understood. Determining the origins of pulmonary vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension and their associated effects is a challenging task, but is necessary in order to develop targeted therapies for pulmonary hypertension in the newborn due to antenatal hypoxia that can both treat the symptoms and curtail or reverse disease progression.

Oxygen sensing strategies in mammals and bacteria

The ability to sense and adapt to changes in pO2 is crucial for basic metabolism in most organisms, leading to elaborate pathways for sensing hypoxia (low pO2). This review focuses on the mechanisms utilized by mammals and bacteria to sense hypoxia. While responses to acute hypoxia in mammalian tissues lead to altered vascular tension, the molecular mechanism of signal transduction is not well understood. In contrast, chronic hypoxia evokes cellular responses that lead to transcriptional changes mediated by the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF), which is directly controlled by post-translational hydroxylation of HIF by the non-heme Fe(II)/αKG-dependent enzymes FIH and PHD2. Research on PHD2 and FIH is focused on developing inhibitors and understanding the links between HIF binding and the O2 reaction in these enzymes. Sulfur speciation is a putative mechanism for acute O2-sensing, with special focus on the role of H2S. This sulfur-centered model is discussed, as are some of the directions for further refinement of this model. In contrast to mammals, bacterial O2-sensing relies on protein cofactors that either bind O2 or oxidatively decompose. The sensing modality for bacterial O2-sensors is either via altered DNA binding affinity of the sensory protein, or else due to the actions of a two-component signaling cascade. Emerging data suggests that proteins containing a hemerythrin-domain, such as FBXL5, may serve to connect iron sensing to O2-sensing in both bacteria and humans. As specific molecular machinery becomes identified, these hypoxia sensing pathways present therapeutic targets for diseases including ischemia, cancer, or bacterial infection.

A hypothesis: hydrogen sulfide might be neuroprotective against subarachnoid hemorrhage induced brain injury

Gases such as nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) play important roles both in normal physiology and in disease. Recent studies have shown that hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) protects neurons against oxidative stress and ischemia-reperfusion injury and attenuates lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced neuroinflammation in microglia, exhibiting anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic activities. The gas H₂S is emerging as a novel regulator of important physiologic functions such as arterial diameter, blood flow, and leukocyte adhesion. It has been known that multiple factors, including oxidative stress, free radicals, and neuronal nitric oxide synthesis as well as abnormal inflammatory responses, are involved in the mechanism underlying the brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Based on the multiple physiologic functions of H₂S, we speculate that it might be a promising, effective, and specific therapy for brain injury after SAH.

Production and physiological effects of hydrogen sulfide

SIGNIFICANCE

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been recognized as a physiological mediator with a variety of functions. It regulates synaptic transmission, vascular tone, inflammation, transcription, and angiogenesis; protects cells from oxidative stress and ischemia-reperfusion injury; and promotes healing of ulcers.

RECENT ADVANCES

In addition to cystathionine β-synthase and cystathionine γ-lyase, 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase along with cysteine aminotransferase was recently demonstrated to produce H2S. Even in bacteria, H2S produced by these enzymes functions as a defense against antibiotics, suggesting that the cytoprotective effect of H2S is a universal defense mechanism in organisms from bacteria to mammals.

CRITICAL ISSUES

The functional form of H2S-undissociated H2S gas, dissociated HS ion, or some other form of sulfur-has not been identified.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

The regulation of H2S production by three enzymes may lead to the identification of the physiological signals that are required to release H2S. The identification of the physiological functions of other forms of sulfur may also help understand the biological significance of H2S.

Oxygen sensing by the carotid body: is it all just rotten eggs?

SIGNIFICANCE

Ventilatory responses to hypoxia are initiated by the carotid body, where inhibition of specific K(+) channels causes cell depolarization, voltage-gated Ca(2+) influx, and neurotransmitter release. The identity of the upstream oxygen (O2) sensor is still controversial.

RECENT ADVANCES

The activity of BKCa channels is regulated by O2, carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), suggesting that integration of these signals may be crucial to the physiological response of this tissue. BKCa is colocalized with hemeoxygenase-2, an enzyme that generates CO in the presence of O2, and CO is a BKCa channel opener. Reduced CO during hypoxia results in channel closure, conferring a degree of O2 sensitivity to the BKCa channel. Conversely, H2S is a potent BKCa inhibitor. H2S is produced endogenously by cystathionine-β-synthase and cystathionine-γ-lyase in the rat carotid body, and its intracellular concentration is dependent upon the balance between its enzymatic generation and its mitochondrial breakdown. During hypoxia, mitochondrial oxidation of H2S in many tissues is reduced, leading to hypoxia-evoked rises in its concentration. This may be sufficient to inhibit K(+) channels and lead to carotid body excitation.

CRITICAL ISSUES

Carotid body function is heavily dependent upon regulated production and breakdown of CO and H2S and integration of signals from these newly emerging gasotransmitters, in combination with several other proposed mechanisms, may refine, or even define, responses of this tissue to hypoxia.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Since several other sensors have been postulated, the challenge of future research is to begin to integrate each in a unifying mechanism, as has been attempted for the first time herein.

Comparative cardiovascular physiology: future trends, opportunities and challenges

The inaugural Kjell Johansen Lecture in the Zoophysiology Department of Aarhus University (Aarhus, Denmark) afforded the opportunity for a focused workshop comprising comparative cardiovascular physiologists to ponder some of the key unanswered questions in the field. Discussions were centred around three themes. The first considered function of the vertebrate heart in its various forms in extant vertebrates, with particular focus on the role of intracardiac shunts, the trabecular ('spongy') nature of the ventricle in many vertebrates, coronary blood supply and the building plan of the heart as revealed by molecular approaches. The second theme involved the key unanswered questions in the control of the cardiovascular system, emphasizing autonomic control, hypoxic vasoconstriction and developmental plasticity in cardiovascular control. The final theme involved poorly understood aspects of the interaction of the cardiovascular system with the lymphatic, renal and digestive systems. Having posed key questions around these three themes, it is increasingly clear that an abundance of new analytical tools and approaches will allow us to learn much about vertebrate cardiovascular systems in the coming years.

High-altitude pulmonary edema

High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), a not uncommon form of acute altitude illness, can occur within days of ascent above 2500 to 3000 m. Although life-threatening, it is avoidable by slow ascent to permit acclimatization or with drug prophylaxis. The critical pathophysiology is an excessive rise in pulmonary vascular resistance or hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) leading to increased microvascular pressures. The resultant hydrostatic stress causes dynamic changes in the permeability of the alveolar capillary barrier and mechanical injurious damage leading to leakage of large proteins and erythrocytes into the alveolar space in the absence of inflammation. Bronchoalveolar lavage and hemodynamic pressure measurements in humans confirm that elevated capillary pressure induces a high-permeability noninflammatory lung edema. Reduced nitric oxide availability and increased endothelin in hypoxia are the major determinants of excessive HPV in HAPE-susceptible individuals. Other hypoxia-dependent differences in ventilatory control, sympathetic nervous system activation, endothelial function, and alveolar epithelial active fluid reabsorption likely contribute additionally to HAPE susceptibility. Recent studies strongly suggest nonuniform regional hypoxic arteriolar vasoconstriction as an explanation for how HPV occurring predominantly at the arteriolar level causes leakage. In areas of high blood flow due to lesser HPV, edema develops due to pressures that exceed the dynamic and structural capacity of the alveolar capillary barrier to maintain normal fluid balance. This article will review the pathophysiology of the vasculature, alveolar epithelium, innervation, immune response, and genetics of the lung at high altitude, as well as therapeutic and prophylactic strategies to reduce the morbidity and mortality of HAPE.

Hydrogen sulfide alleviates hypoxia-induced root tip death in Pisum sativum

Flooding of soils often results in hypoxic conditions surrounding plant roots, which is a harmful abiotic stress to crops. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a highly diffusible, gaseous molecule that modulates cell signaling and is involved in hypoxia signaling in animal cells. However, there have been no previous studies of H2S in plant cells in response to hypoxia. The effects of H2S on hypoxia-induced root tip death were studied in pea (Pisum sativum) via analysis of endogenous H2S and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The activities of key enzymes involved in antioxidative and H2S metabolic pathways were determined using spectrophotometric assays. Ethylene was measured by gas chromatography. We found that exogenous H2S pretreatment dramatically alleviated hypoxia-induced root tip death by protecting root tip cell membranes from ROS damage induced by hypoxia and by stimulating a quiescence strategy through inhibiting ethylene production. Conversely, root tip death induced by hypoxia was strongly enhanced by inhibition of the key enzymes responsible for endogenous H2S biosynthesis. Our results demonstrated that exogenous H2S pretreatment significantly alleviates hypoxia-induced root tip death in pea seedlings and, therefore, enhances the tolerance of the plant to hypoxic stress.

Chronic intermittent hypoxia promotes expression of 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase in adult rat medulla oblongata

The present experiments were carried out to investigate the expression of 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3MST) in medulla oblongata of rats and effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) on its expression. Sprague Dawley adult rats were randomly divided into two groups, including control (Con) group and CIH group. The endogenous production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in medulla oblongata tissue homogenates was measured using the methylene blue assay method, 3MST mRNA and protein expression were analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively, and the expression of 3MST in the neurons of respiratory-related nuclei in medulla oblongata of rats was investigated with immunohistochemical technique. CIH elevated the endogenous H2S production in rat medulla oblongata (P<0.01). The RT-PCR and Western blotting analyses showed that 3MST mRNA and protein were expressed in the medulla oblongata of rats and CIH promoted their expression (P<0.01). Immunohistochemical staining indicated that 3MST existed in the neurons of pre-Bötzinger complex (pre-BötC), hypoglossal nucleus (12N), ambiguous nucleus (Amb), facial nucleus (FN) and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) in the animals and the mean optical densities of 3MST-positive neurons in the pre-BötC, 12N and Amb, but not in FN and NTS, were significantly increased in CIH group (P<0.05). In conclusion, 3MST exists in the neurons of medullary respiratory nuclei and its expression can be up-regulated by CIH in adult rat, suggesting that 3MST-H2S pathway may be involved in regulation of respiration and protection on medullary respiratory centers from injury induced by CIH.

Regulation of cystathionine γ-lyase in mammalian cells by hypoxia

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an endogenous signaling molecule in mammalian cells, shows a variety of biological effects. Cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) is a key enzyme in the trans-sulfuration pathway responsible for the production of endogenous H2S. Whether CSE expression is regulated by hypoxia in mammalian cells remains largely unknown. This study revealed that these regulatory effects changed with time at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Hypoxia regulated CSE expression in mammalian cells in a complex manner; CSE transcription went through a down-regulation and recovery period, while CSE mRNA and protein levels increased during hypoxia. Taken together, the results suggest that CSE can respond to hypoxia through transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, and CSE expression can be up-regulated by hypoxia to a certain extent. Therefore, the up-regulation of CSE expression during hypoxia may be useful for increasing the production and concentration of H2S in mammalian cells and indirectly protecting cells from hypoxia.

Hydrogen sulfide chemical biology: pathophysiological roles and detection

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is the most recent endogenous gasotransmitter that has been reported to serve many physiological and pathological functions in different tissues. Studies over the past decade have revealed that H2S can be synthesized through numerous pathways and its bioavailability regulated through its conversion into different biochemical forms. H2S exerts its biological effects in various manners including redox regulation of protein and small molecular weight thiols, polysulfides, thiosulfate/sulfite, iron-sulfur cluster proteins, and anti-oxidant properties that affect multiple cellular and molecular responses. However, precise measurement of H2S bioavailability and its associated biochemical and pathophysiological roles remains less well understood. In this review, we discuss recent understanding of H2S chemical biology, its relationship to tissue pathophysiological responses and possible therapeutic uses.

Thiosulfate: a readily accessible source of hydrogen sulfide in oxygen sensing

H2S derived from organic thiol metabolism has been proposed serve as an oxygen sensor in a variety of systems because of its susceptibility to oxidation and its ability to mimic hypoxic responses in numerous oxygen-sensing tissues. Thiosulfate, an intermediate in oxidative H2S metabolism can alternatively be reduced and regenerate H2S. We propose that this contributes to the H2S-mediated oxygen-sensing mechanism. H2S formation from thiosulfate in buffers and in a variety of mammalian tissues and in lamprey dorsal aorta was examined in real time using a polarographic H2S sensor. Inferences of intracellular H2S production were made by examining hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) in bovine pulmonary arteries under conditions in which increased H2S production would be expected and in mouse and rat aortas, where reducing conditions should mediate vasorelaxation. In Krebs-Henseleit (mammalian) and Cortland (lamprey) buffers, H2S was generated from thiosulfate in the presence of the exogenous reducing agent, DTT, or the endogenous reductant dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA). Both the magnitude and rate of H2S production were greatly increased by these reductants in the presence of tissue, with the most notable effects occurring in the liver. H2S production was only observed when tissues were hypoxic; exposure to room air, or injecting oxygen inhibited H2S production and resulted in net H2S consumption. Both DTT and DHLA augmented HPV, and DHLA dose-dependently relaxed precontracted mouse and rat aortas. These results indicate that thiosulfate can contribute to H2S signaling under hypoxic conditions and that this is not only a ready source of H2S production but also serves as a means of recycling sulfur and thereby conserving biologically relevant thiols.

Oxygen sensitivity of mitochondrial function in rat arterial chemoreceptor cells

The mechanism of oxygen sensing in arterial chemoreceptors is unknown but has often been linked to mitochondrial function. A common criticism of this hypothesis is that mitochondrial function is insensitive to physiological levels of hypoxia. Here we investigate the effects of hypoxia (down to 0.5% O2) on mitochondrial function in neonatal rat type-1 cells. The oxygen sensitivity of mitochondrial [NADH] was assessed by monitoring autofluorescence and increased in hypoxia with a P50 of 15 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 133.3 Pa) in normal Tyrode or 46 mm Hg in Ca(2+)-free Tyrode. Hypoxia also depolarised mitochondrial membrane potential (m, measured using rhodamine 123) with a P50 of 3.1, 3.3 and 2.8 mm Hg in normal Tyrode, Ca(2+)-free Tyrode and Tyrode containing the Ca(2+) channel antagonist Ni(2+), respectively. In the presence of oligomycin and low carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy) phenylhydrazone (FCCP; 75 nm) m is maintained by electron transport working against an artificial proton leak. Under these conditions hypoxia depolarised m/inhibited electron transport with a P50 of 5.4 mm Hg. The effects of hypoxia upon cytochrome oxidase activity were investigated using rotenone, myxothiazol, antimycin A, oligomycin, ascorbate and the electron donor tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine. Under these conditions m is maintained by complex IV activity alone. Hypoxia inhibited cytochrome oxidase activity (depolarised m) with a P50 of 2.6 mm Hg. In contrast hypoxia had little or no effect upon NADH (P50 = 0.3 mm Hg), electron transport or cytochrome oxidase activity in sympathetic neurons. In summary, type-1 cell mitochondria display extraordinary oxygen sensitivity commensurate with a role in oxygen sensing. The reasons for this highly unusual behaviour are as yet unexplained.

Cell-trappable fluorescent probes for endogenous hydrogen sulfide signaling and imaging H2O2-dependent H2S production

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a reactive small molecule generated in the body that can be beneficial or toxic owing to its potent redox activity. In living systems, disentangling the pathways responsible for H2S production and their physiological and pathological consequences remains a challenge in part due to a lack of methods for monitoring changes in endogenous H2S fluxes. The development of fluorescent probes with appropriate selectivity and sensitivity for monitoring production of H2S at biologically relevant signaling levels offers opportunities to explore its roles in a variety of systems. Here we report the design, synthesis, and application of a family of azide-based fluorescent H2S indicators, Sulfidefluor-4, Sulfidefluor-5 acetoxymethyl ester, and Sulfidefluor-7 acetoxymethyl ester, which offer the unique capability to image H2S generated at physiological signaling levels. These probes are optimized for cellular imaging and feature enhanced sensitivity and cellular retention compared with our previously reported molecules. In particular, Sulfidefluor-7 acetoxymethyl ester allows for direct, real-time visualization of endogenous H2S produced in live human umbilical vein endothelial cells upon stimulation with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Moreover, we show that H2S production is dependent on NADPH oxidase-derived hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which attenuates VEGF receptor 2 phosphorylation and establishes a link for H2S/H2O2 crosstalk.

Persulfide reactivity in the detection of protein s-sulfhydration

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has emerged as a new member of the gaseous transmitter family of signaling molecules and appears to play a regulatory role in the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Recent studies suggest that protein cysteine S-sulfhydration may function as a mechanism for transforming the H2S signal into a biological response. However, selective detection of S-sulfhydryl modifications is challenging since the persulfide group (RSSH) exhibits reactivity akin to other sulfur species, especially thiols. A modification of the biotin switch technique, using S-methyl methanethiosulfonate (MMTS) as an alkylating reagent, was recently used to identify a large number of proteins that may undergo S-sulfhydration, but the underlying mechanism of chemical detection was not fully explored. To address this key issue, we have developed a protein persulfide model and analogue of MMTS, S-4-bromobenzyl methanethiosulfonate (BBMTS). Using these new reagents, we investigated the chemistry in the modified biotin switch method and examined the reactivity of protein persulfides toward different electrophile/nucleophile species. Together, our data affirm the nucleophilic properties of the persulfide sulfane sulfur and afford new insights into protein S-sulfhydryl chemistry, which may be exploited in future detection strategies.

Climate change and ocean acidification-interactions with aquatic toxicology

The possibilities for interactions between toxicants and ocean acidification are reviewed from two angles. First, it is considered how toxicant responses may affect ocean acidification by influencing the carbon dioxide balance. Second, it is introduced, how the possible changes in environmental conditions (temperature, pH and oxygenation), expected to be associated with climate change and ocean acidification, may interact with the toxicant responses of organisms, especially fish. One significant weakness in available data is that toxicological research has seldom been connected with ecological and physiological/biochemical research evaluating the responses of organisms to temperature, pH or oxygenation changes occurring in the natural environment. As a result, although there are significant potential interactions between toxicants and natural environmental responses pertaining to climate change and ocean acidification, it is very poorly known if such interactions actually occur, and can be behind the observed disturbances in the function and distribution of organisms in our seas.

Characterization of patient mutations in human persulfide dioxygenase (ETHE1) involved in H2S catabolism

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is a recently described endogenously produced gaseous signaling molecule that influences various cellular processes in the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and gastrointestinal tract. The biogenesis of H(2)S involves the cytoplasmic transsulfuration enzymes, cystathionine β-synthase and γ-cystathionase, whereas its catabolism occurs in the mitochondrion and couples to the energy-yielding electron transfer chain. Low steady-state levels of H(2)S appear to be controlled primarily by efficient oxygen-dependent catabolism via sulfide quinone oxidoreductase, persulfide dioxygenase (ETHE1), rhodanese, and sulfite oxidase. Mutations in the persulfide dioxgenase, i.e. ETHE1, result in ethylmalonic encephalopathy, an inborn error of metabolism. In this study, we report the biochemical characterization and kinetic properties of human persulfide dioxygenase and describe the biochemical penalties associated with two patient mutations, T152I and D196N. Steady-state kinetic analysis reveals that the T152I mutation results in a 3-fold lower activity, which is correlated with a 3-fold lower iron content compared with the wild-type enzyme. The D196N mutation results in a 2-fold higher K(m) for the substrate, glutathione persulfide.

Hydrogen sulfide-mediated myocardial pre- and post-conditioning

Coronary artery disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world. Acute myocardial infarction, resulting from coronary artery atherosclerosis, is a serious and often fatal consequence of coronary artery disease, resulting in cell death in the myocardium. Pre- and post-conditioning of the myocardium are two treatment strategies that reduce the amount of cell death significantly. Hydrogen sulfide has recently been identified as a potent cardioprotective signaling molecule, which is a highly effective pre- and post-conditioning agent. The cardioprotective signaling pathways involved in hydrogen sulfide-based pre- and post-conditioning will be explored in this article.

Physiological implications of hydrogen sulfide: a whiff exploration that blossomed

The important life-supporting role of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) has evolved from bacteria to plants, invertebrates, vertebrates, and finally to mammals. Over the centuries, however, H(2)S had only been known for its toxicity and environmental hazard. Physiological importance of H(2)S has been appreciated for about a decade. It started by the discovery of endogenous H(2)S production in mammalian cells and gained momentum by typifying this gasotransmitter with a variety of physiological functions. The H(2)S-catalyzing enzymes are differentially expressed in cardiovascular, neuronal, immune, renal, respiratory, gastrointestinal, reproductive, liver, and endocrine systems and affect the functions of these systems through the production of H(2)S. The physiological functions of H(2)S are mediated by different molecular targets, such as different ion channels and signaling proteins. Alternations of H(2)S metabolism lead to an array of pathological disturbances in the form of hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart failure, diabetes, cirrhosis, inflammation, sepsis, neurodegenerative disease, erectile dysfunction, and asthma, to name a few. Many new technologies have been developed to detect endogenous H(2)S production, and novel H(2)S-delivery compounds have been invented to aid therapeutic intervention of diseases related to abnormal H(2)S metabolism. While acknowledging the challenges ahead, research on H(2)S physiology and medicine is entering an exponential exploration era.

Neuroepithelial cells of the gill and their role in oxygen sensing

A highly sensitive oxygen (O(2)) sensing mechanism is critical for the survival of all vertebrate species. In fish, this requirement is fullfilled by the neuroepithelial cells (NECs) of the gill. NECs are neurotransmitter-containing chemosensory cells that are diffusely distributed within a thin epithelial layer of the filaments and respiratory lamellae of all gill arches, and are innervated by afferent fibers from the central nervous system. In acute cell culture, NECs respond immediately, and in a dose-dependent manner, to acute changes in O(2) tension. Thus, hypoxic stimulation of gill NECs appears to initiate the production of adaptive, cardiorespiratory reflexes that contribute to the maintenance of O(2) uptake in order to meet metabolic demands. This review covers the current evidence for the status of NECs as the primary peripheral O(2) sensors in fish. We have included an overview of the phylogeny of O(2) sensing structures among vertebrate groups, and morphological and physiological evidence for the importance of NECs in O(2) sensing.

Hydrogen sulfide mediates hypoxic vasoconstriction through a production of mitochondrial ROS in trout gills

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) is an adaptive response that diverts pulmonary blood flow from poorly ventilated and hypoxic areas of the lung to more well-ventilated parts. This response is important for the local matching of blood perfusion to ventilation and improves pulmonary gas exchange efficiency. HPV is an ancient and highly conserved response, expressed in the respiratory organs of all vertebrates, including lungs of mammals, birds, and reptiles; amphibian skin; and fish gills. The mechanism underlying HPV and how cells sense low Po(2) remains elusive. In perfused trout gills (Oncorhynchus mykiss), acute hypoxia, as well as H(2)S, caused an initial and transient constriction of the vasculature. Inhibition of the enzymes cystathionine-β-synthase and cystathionine-γ-lyase, which blocks H(2)S production, abolished the hypoxic response. Individually blocking the four complexes in the electron transport chain abolished both the hypoxic and the H(2)S-mediated constriction. Glutathione, an antioxidant and scavenger of superoxide, attenuated the vasoconstriction in response to hypoxia and H(2)S. Furthermore, diethyldithiocarbamate, an inhibitor of superoxide dismutase, attenuated the hypoxic and H(2)S constriction. This strongly suggests that H(2)S mediates the hypoxic vasoconstriction in trout gills. H(2)S may stimulate the mitochondrial production of superoxide, which is then converted to hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)). Thus, H(2)O(2) may act as the "downstream" signaling molecule in hypoxic vasoconstriction.

Neurotransmitter profiles in fish gills: putative gill oxygen chemoreceptors

In fish, cells containing serotonin, ACh, catecholamines, NO, H(2)S, leu-5-enkephalin, met-5-enkephalin and neuropeptide Y are found in the gill filaments and lamellae. Serotonin containing neuroepithelial cells (NECs) located along the filament are most abundant and are the only group found in all fish studied to date. The presence of NECs in other locations or containing other transmitters is species specific and it is rare that any one NEC contains more than one neurochemical. The gills are innervated by both extrinsic and intrinsic nerves and they can be cholinergic, serotonergic or contain both transmitters. Some NECs are presumed to be involved in paracrine regulation of gill blood flow, while others part of the reflex pathways involved in cardiorespiratory control. There is both direct and indirect evidence to indicate that the chemosensing cells involved in these latter reflexes sit in locations where some monitor O(2) levels in water, blood or both, yet the anatomical data do not show such clear distinctions.

The neurobiology of sensing respiratory gases for the control of animal behavior

Aerobic metabolism is fundamental for almost all animal life. Cellular consumption of oxygen (O(2)) and production of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) signal metabolic states and physiological stresses. These respiratory gases are also detected as environmental cues that can signal external food quality and the presence of prey, predators and mates. In both contexts, animal nervous systems are endowed with mechanisms for sensing O(2)/CO(2) to trigger appropriate behaviors and maintain homeostasis of internal O(2)/CO(2). Although different animal species show different behavioral responses to O(2)/CO(2), some underlying molecular mechanisms and pathways that function in the detection of respiratory gases are fundamentally similar and evolutionarily conserved. Studies of Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster have identified roles for cyclic nucleotide signaling and the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) transcriptional pathway in mediating behavioral responses to respiratory gases. Understanding how simple invertebrate nervous systems detect respiratory gases to control behavior might reveal general principles common to nematodes, insects and vertebrates that function in the molecular sensing of respiratory gases and the neural control of animal behaviors.

Gas biology: tiny molecules controlling metabolic systems

It has been recognized that gaseous molecules and their signaling cascades play a vital role in alterations of metabolic systems in physiologic and pathologic conditions. Contrary to this awareness, detailed mechanisms whereby gases exert their actions, in particular in vivo, have been unclear because of several reasons. Gaseous signaling involves diverse reactions with metal centers of metalloproteins and thiol modification of cysteine residues of proteins. Both the multiplicity of gas targets and the technical limitations in accessing local gas concentrations make dissection of exact actions of any gas mediator a challenge. However, a series of advanced technologies now offer ways to explore gas-responsive regulatory processes in vivo. Imaging mass spectrometry combined with quantitative metabolomics by capillary-electrophoresis/mass spectrometry reveals spatio-temporal profiles of many metabolites. Comparing the metabolic footprinting of murine samples with a targeted deletion of a specific gas-producing enzyme makes it possible to determine sites of actions of the gas. In this review, we intend to elaborate on the ideas how small gaseous molecules interact with metabolic systems to control organ functions such as cerebral vascular tone and energy metabolism in vivo.

Mitochondrial adaptations to utilize hydrogen sulfide for energy and signaling

Sulfur is a versatile molecule with oxidation states ranging from -2 to +6. From the beginning, sulfur has been inexorably entwined with the evolution of organisms. Reduced sulfur, prevalent in the prebiotic Earth and supplied from interstellar sources, was an integral component of early life as it could provide energy through oxidization, even in a weakly oxidizing environment, and it spontaneously reacted with iron to form iron-sulfur clusters that became the earliest biological catalysts and structural components of cells. The ability to cycle sulfur between reduced and oxidized states may have been key in the great endosymbiotic event that incorporated a sulfide-oxidizing α-protobacteria into a host sulfide-reducing Archea, resulting in the eukaryotic cell. As eukaryotes slowly adapted from a sulfidic and anoxic (euxinic) world to one that was highly oxidizing, numerous mechanisms developed to deal with increasing oxidants; namely, oxygen, and decreasing sulfide. Because there is rarely any reduced sulfur in the present-day environment, sulfur was historically ignored by biologists, except for an occasional report of sulfide toxicity. Twenty-five years ago, it became evident that the organisms in sulfide-rich environments could synthesize ATP from sulfide, 10 years later came the realization that animals might use sulfide as a signaling molecule, and only within the last 4 years did it become apparent that even mammals could derive energy from sulfide generated in the gastrointestinal tract. It has also become evident that, even in the present-day oxic environment, cells can exploit the redox chemistry of sulfide, most notably as a physiological transducer of oxygen availability. This review will examine how the legacy of sulfide metabolism has shaped natural selection and how some of these ancient biochemical pathways are still employed by modern-day eukaryotes.

Effects of exogenous hydrogen sulphide on calcium signalling, background (TASK) K channel activity and mitochondrial function in chemoreceptor cells

It has been proposed that endogenous H₂S mediates oxygen sensing in chemoreceptors; this study investigates the mechanisms by which H₂S excites carotid body type 1 cells. H₂S caused a rapid reversible increase in intracellular calcium with EC₅₀ ≈ 6 μM. This [Ca²⁺]_i response was abolished in Ca-free Tyrode. In perforated patch current clamp recordings, H₂S depolarised type 1 cells from −59 to −35 mV; this was accompanied by a robust increase in [Ca²⁺]_i. Voltage clamping at the resting membrane potential abolished the H₂S-induced rise in [Ca²⁺]_i. H₂S inhibited background K⁺ current in whole cell perforated patch and reduced background K⁺ channel activity in cell-attached patch recordings. It is concluded that H₂S excites type 1 cells through the inhibition of background (TASK) potassium channels leading to membrane depolarisation and voltage-gated Ca²⁺ entry. These effects mimic those of hypoxia. H₂S also inhibited mitochondrial function over a similar concentration range as assessed by NADH autofluorescence and measurement of intracellular magnesium (an index of decline in MgATP). Cyanide inhibited background K channels to a similar extent to H₂S and prevented H₂S exerting any further influence over channel activity. These data indicate that the effects of H₂S on background K channels are a consequence of inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation. Whilst this does not preclude a role for endogenous H₂S in oxygen sensing via the inhibition of cytochrome oxidase, the levels of H₂S required raise questions as to the viability of such a mechanism.

CYSL-1 interacts with the O2-sensing hydroxylase EGL-9 to promote H2S-modulated hypoxia-induced behavioral plasticity in C. elegans

The C. elegans HIF-1 proline hydroxylase EGL-9 functions as an O(2) sensor in an evolutionarily conserved pathway for adaptation to hypoxia. H(2)S accumulates during hypoxia and promotes HIF-1 activity, but how H(2)S signals are perceived and transmitted to modulate HIF-1 and animal behavior is unknown. We report that the experience of hypoxia modifies a C. elegans locomotive behavioral response to O(2) through the EGL-9 pathway. From genetic screens to identify novel regulators of EGL-9-mediated behavioral plasticity, we isolated mutations of the gene cysl-1, which encodes a C. elegans homolog of sulfhydrylases/cysteine synthases. Hypoxia-dependent behavioral modulation and H(2)S-induced HIF-1 activation require the direct physical interaction of CYSL-1 with the EGL-9 C terminus. Sequestration of EGL-9 by CYSL-1 and inhibition of EGL-9-mediated hydroxylation by hypoxia together promote neuronal HIF-1 activation to modulate behavior. These findings demonstrate that CYSL-1 acts to transduce signals from H(2)S to EGL-9 to regulate O(2)-dependent behavioral plasticity in C. elegans.

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and hypoxia inhibit salmonid gastrointestinal motility: evidence for H₂S as an oxygen sensor

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) has been shown to affect gastrointestinal (GI) motility and signaling in mammals and O(2)-dependent H(2)S metabolism has been proposed to serve as an O(2) 'sensor' that couples hypoxic stimuli to effector responses in a variety of other O(2)-sensing tissues. The low P(O2) values and high H(2)S concentrations routinely encountered in the GI tract suggest that H(2)S might also be involved in hypoxic responses in these tissues. In the present study we examined the effect of H(2)S on stomach, esophagus, gallbladder and intestinal motility in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and we evaluated the potential for H(2)S in oxygen sensing by examining GI responses to hypoxia in the presence of known inhibitors of H(2)S biosynthesis and by adding the sulfide donor cysteine (Cys). We also measured H(2)S production by intestinal tissue in real time and in the presence and absence of oxygen. In tissues exhibiting spontaneous contractions, H(2)S inhibited contraction magnitude (area under the curve and amplitude) and frequency, and in all tissues it reduced baseline tension in a concentration-dependent relationship. Longitudinal intestinal smooth muscle was significantly more sensitive to H(2)S than other tissues, exhibiting significant inhibitory responses at 1-10 μmol l(-1) H(2)S. The effects of hypoxia were essentially identical to those of H(2)S in longitudinal and circular intestinal smooth muscle; of special note was a unique transient stimulatory effect upon application of both hypoxia and H(2)S. Inhibitors of enzymes implicated in H(2)S biosynthesis (cystathionine β-synthase and cystathionine γ-lyase) partially inhibited the effects of hypoxia whereas the hypoxic effects were augmented by the sulfide donor Cys. Furthermore, tissue production of H(2)S was inversely related to O(2); addition of Cys to intestinal tissue homogenate stimulated H(2)S production when the tissue was gassed with 100% nitrogen (~0% O(2)), whereas addition of oxygen (~10% O(2)) reversed this to net H(2)S consumption. This study shows that the inhibitory effects of H(2)S on the GI tract of a non-mammalian vertebrate are identical to those reported in mammals and they provide further evidence that H(2)S is a key mediator of the hypoxic response in a variety of O(2)-sensitive tissues.

The liver as a central regulator of hydrogen sulfide

The liver is likely exposed to high levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from endogenous hepatic synthesis and exogenous sources from the gastrointestinal tract. Little is known about the consequence of H2S exposure on the liver or hepatic regulation of H2S levels. We hypothesized that the liver has a high capacity to metabolize H2S and that H2S oxidation is decreased during sepsis, a condition in which hepatic O2 is limited and H2S synthesis is increased. Using a nonrecirculating isolated and perfused liver system, we demonstrated rapid hepatic H2S metabolism up to an infusion concentration of 200' μM H2S. Hydrogen sulfide metabolism was associated with an increase in O2 consumption from a baseline 96.7 ± 7.6 μmol O2/min/kg to 109 ± 7.4 μmol O2/min/kg at an infusion concentration of 150 μM H2S (P < 0.001). Removal of O2 from the perfusate decreased H2S clearance from a maximal 97% to only 23%. Livers isolated from rats subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) did not differ significantly from control livers in their capacity to metabolize H2S, suggesting that H2S oxidation remains a priority during sepsis. To test whether H2S induces O2 consumption in vivo, intravital microscopy was utilized to monitor the oxygen content in the hepatic microenvironment. Infusion of H2S increased the NADH/NAD+ ratio (645 gray-scale-unit increase, P = 0.035) and decreased hepatic O2 availability visualized with Ru(Phen)3(2+) (439 gray-scale-unit increase, P = 0.040). We conclude that the liver has a high hepatic capacity for H2S metabolism. Moreover, H2S oxidation consumes available oxygen and may exacerbate the tissue hypoxia associated with sepsis.

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S): a physiologic mediator of carotid body response to hypoxia

Carotid bodies are sensory organs for monitoring arterial blood O(2) levels. Nitric oxide and carbon monoxide function as inhibitory gasotransmitters in the carotid body. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is another emerging gasotransmitter. The purpose of this article is to review recent studies addressing the role of H2S in carotid body.Cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) and cystathionine β synthase (CBS) are the two major enzymes that catalyze the formation of endogenous H2S. Both CSE and CBS are expressed in glomus cells, the putative site of sensorytransduction in the carotid body. Hypoxia increases H2S generation in the carotid body. CSE knockout mice displayed absence of hypoxia-evoked H2S generation and severely impaired sensory excitation by low O2. Pharmacological inhibitors of CSE as well as CBS showed a similar phenotype in mice and rats. Like hypoxia, H2S donors stimulated the carotid body sensory activity and this response required Ca(2+) influx via voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Evidence is emerging implicating Ca2+ activated K+ channels in glomus cells as potential targets of H2S.

Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction

It has been known for more than 60 years, and suspected for over 100, that alveolar hypoxia causes pulmonary vasoconstriction by means of mechanisms local to the lung. For the last 20 years, it has been clear that the essential sensor, transduction, and effector mechanisms responsible for hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) reside in the pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell. The main focus of this review is the cellular and molecular work performed to clarify these intrinsic mechanisms and to determine how they are facilitated and inhibited by the extrinsic influences of other cells. Because the interaction of intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms is likely to shape expression of HPV in vivo, we relate results obtained in cells to HPV in more intact preparations, such as intact and isolated lungs and isolated pulmonary vessels. Finally, we evaluate evidence regarding the contribution of HPV to the physiological and pathophysiological processes involved in the transition from fetal to neonatal life, pulmonary gas exchange, high-altitude pulmonary edema, and pulmonary hypertension. Although understanding of HPV has advanced significantly, major areas of ignorance and uncertainty await resolution.

Peripheral chemoreceptors: function and plasticity of the carotid body

The discovery of the sensory nature of the carotid body dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Following these seminal discoveries, research into carotid body mechanisms moved forward progressively through the 20th century, with many descriptions of the ultrastructure of the organ and stimulus-response measurements at the level of the whole organ. The later part of 20th century witnessed the first descriptions of the cellular responses and electrophysiology of isolated and cultured type I and type II cells, and there now exist a number of testable hypotheses of chemotransduction. The goal of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of current concepts on sensory transduction and transmission of the hypoxic stimulus at the carotid body with an emphasis on integrating cellular mechanisms with the whole organ responses and highlighting the gaps or discrepancies in our knowledge. It is increasingly evident that in addition to hypoxia, the carotid body responds to a wide variety of blood-borne stimuli, including reduced glucose and immune-related cytokines and we therefore also consider the evidence for a polymodal function of the carotid body and its implications. It is clear that the sensory function of the carotid body exhibits considerable plasticity in response to the chronic perturbations in environmental O2 that is associated with many physiological and pathological conditions. The mechanisms and consequences of carotid body plasticity in health and disease are discussed in the final sections of this article.

Precursors and inhibitors of hydrogen sulfide synthesis affect acute hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in the intact lung

The effects of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) and acute hypoxia are similar in isolated pulmonary arteries from various species. However, the involvement of H(2)S in hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) has not been studied in the intact lung. The present study used an intact, isolated, perfused rat lung preparation to examine whether adding compounds essential to H(2)S synthesis or to its inhibition would result in a corresponding increase or decrease in the magnitude of HPV. Western blots performed in lung tissue identified the presence of the H(2)S-synthesizing enzymes, cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfur transferase (3-MST), but not cystathionine β-synthase (CBS). Adding three H(2)S synthesis precursors, cysteine and oxidized or reduced glutathione, to the perfusate significantly increased peak arterial pressure during hypoxia compared with control (P < 0.05). Adding α-ketoglutarate to enhance the 3-MST enzyme pathway also resulted in an increase (P < 0.05). Both aspartate, which inhibits the 3-MST synthesis pathway, and propargylglycine (PPG), which inhibits the CSE pathway, significantly reduced the increases in arterial pressure during hypoxia. Diethylmaleate (DEM), which conjugates sulfhydryls, also reduced the peak hypoxic arterial pressure at concentrations >2 mM. Finally, H(2)S concentrations as measured with a specially designed polarographic electrode decreased markedly in lung tissue homogenate and in small pulmonary arteries when air was added to the hypoxic environment of the measurement chamber. The results of this study provide evidence that the rate of H(2)S synthesis plays a role in the magnitude of acute HPV in the isolated perfused rat lung.

Hypoxia-induced arterial chemoreceptor stimulation and hydrogen sulfide: too much or too little?

This brief review presents and discusses some of the important issues surrounding the theory which asserts that endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is the mediator of, or at least an important contributor to, hypoxia-induced arterial chemorereceptor stimulation. The view presented here is that before H(2)S can seriously be considered as a candidate for transducing the O(2)-signal in the carotid bodies (CB), fundamental contradictions need to be resolved. One of these major contradictions is certainly the discrepancy between the levels of H(2)S endogenously present in the CB during hypoxia compared to the levels required to stimulate the arterial chemoreceptors in vitro. Very small amounts of H(2)S are thought to be produced endogenously during a given level of hypoxia, yet the partial pressure of tissue H(2)S which is needed to produce an effect commensurate with that of hypoxia is thousands to millions of times higher. This review discusses this and other contradictions in light of what is known about H(2)S concentration and production in various tissues, the lessons we have learnt from the response to exogenous sulfide and the ability of the blood and the mitochondria to oxidize very large amounts of sulfide. These considerations suggest that the increased production of H(2)S in hypoxia and exogenous sulfide cannot produce the same effect on the carotid bodies and breathing. While the effects of the endogenous H(2)S on breathing remains to be established, the effects exogenous sulfide can be accounted for by its long established toxicity on cytochrome C oxidase.

Hydrogen sulfide is an oxygen sensor in the carotid body

There is considerable controversy surrounding the initial step that transduces a fall in [Formula: see text] into a physiological signal, i.e., the "oxygen sensor" in chemoreceptors. Initial studies on systemic and respiratory vessels suggested that the metabolism of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) could serve as the oxygen sensor. This model was subsequently extended to chemoreceptors in fish and tissues of other animals. In this model, constitutive production of biologically active H(2)S is offset by H(2)S oxidation; when oxygen availability falls, production of H(2)S exceeds metabolism, and the resultant increase in intracellular H(2)S initiates the appropriate physiological responses. This model is supported by observations that the effects of hypoxia and H(2)S are similar, if not identical in many tissues: hypoxic responses are inhibited by inhibitors of H(2)S biosynthesis and augmented by sulfur donating molecules, and the tipping point between H(2)S production and oxidation occurs at physiologically relevant [Formula: see text] . Recent studies from other laboratories support this mechanism of O(2) sensing in the carotid body. This review summarizes information that supports the H(2)S metabolic hypothesis in these tissues with emphasis on the carotid chemoreceptors. Evidence suggesting that H(2)S is not involved in oxygen sensing in the carotid body is also critically evaluated.

Effect of hypoxia in mice mesenteric arteries surrounded by adipose tissue

AIM

To investigate the influence of hypoxia on the vasoactive effect of peri-vascular white adipose tissue.

METHODS

Isometric tension recordings were performed on mesenteric arteries from Swiss male mice with or without adherent adipose tissue.

RESULTS

Hypoxia (bubbling with 95% N(2), 5% CO(2)) induced a biphasic response, i.e. vasoconstriction followed by vasorelaxation, in pre-contracted (noradrenaline, 10 μm) mesenteric arteries with adipose tissue in the presence of indomethacin (10 μm) and N(ω) -nitro-l-arginine (0.1 mm). Only a small vasorelaxation was observed in arteries without adipose tissue. Pre-contraction with 60 or 120 mm K(+) , incubation with tetraethylammoniumchloride (1 and 3 mm), apamin (1 μm) combined with charybdotoxin (0.1 μm) or 1-[(2-chlorophenyl) diphenylmethyl]-1H-pyrazole (TRAM-34) (10 μm) significantly impaired the hypoxic vasorelaxation. Removal of the endothelium only reduced the hypoxic vasorelaxation. Apamin (1 μm) and charybdotoxin (0.1 μm) did not influence the vasorelaxation of sodium hydrosulfide hydrate. Zinc protoporphyrin IX (10 μm), miconazole (10 μm), 8-(p-sulfophenyl)theophylline (0.1 mm), 1 H-[1, 2, 4]oxadiazolo[4,3- A]quinoxalin-1-one (10 μm), apocynin (0.3 mm), diphenyliodonium (1 μm), catalase (2500 U mL(-1)) and tempol (0.1 mm) did not influence the hypoxic vasorelaxation. In contrast to losartan (0.1 mm), indomethacin (10 μm) and SQ-29548 (10 μm) significantly reduced the hypoxic vasoconstriction.

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate hypoxia induces a biphasic vasomotor response in mice mesenteric arteries surrounded by adipose tissue. The hypoxic vasoconstriction is endothelium independent, whereas the vasodilation is endothelium dependent, soluble guanylyl cyclase independent and in part mediated by opening K(Ca) channels. Cyclooxygenase metabolites mediate the hypoxic vasoconstriction, while endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor plays a small role in the hypoxic vasorelaxation.

Vasoactivity of the gasotransmitters hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide in the chicken ductus arteriosus

Besides nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is a third gaseous messenger that may play a role in controlling vascular tone and has been proposed to serve as an O(2) sensor. However, whether H(2)S is vasoactive in the ductus arteriosus (DA) has not yet been studied. We investigated, using wire myography, the mechanical responses induced by Na(2)S (1 μM-1 mM), which forms H(2)S and HS(-) in solution, and by authentic CO (0.1 μM-0.1 mM) in DA rings from 19-day chicken embryos. Na(2)S elicited a 100% relaxation (pD(2) 4.02) of 21% O(2)-contracted and a 50.3% relaxation of 62.5 mM KCl-contracted DA rings. Na(2)S-induced relaxation was not affected by presence of the NO synthase inhibitor l-NAME, the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) inhibitor ODQ, or the K(+) channel inhibitors tetraethylammonium (TEA; nonselective), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, K(V)), glibenclamide (K(ATP)), iberiotoxin (BK(Ca)), TRAM-34 (IK(Ca)), and apamin (SK(Ca)). CO also relaxed O(2)-contracted (60.8% relaxation) and KCl-contracted (18.6% relaxation) DA rings. CO-induced relaxation was impaired by ODQ, TEA, and 4-AP (but not by L-NAME, glibenclamide, iberiotoxin, TRAM-34 or apamin), suggesting the involvement of sGC and K(V) channel stimulation. The presence of inhibitors of H(2)S or CO synthesis as well as the H(2)S precursor L-cysteine or the CO precursor hemin did not significantly affect the response of the DA to changes in O(2) tension. Endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxations were also unaffected. In conclusion, our results indicate that the gasotransmitters H(2)S and CO are vasoactive in the chicken DA but they do not suggest an important role for endogenous H(2)S or CO in the control of chicken ductal reactivity.