The role of hydrogen sulfide in lung inflammation

Hydrogen sulphide ameliorates ischaemia-reperfusion injury in an experimental model of non-heart-beating donor kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND

: Therapies to alleviate ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury have an important role in kidney transplantation. This study used a porcine model of non-heart-beating (NHB) donor kidneys to investigate the effects of hydrogen sulphide on IR injury.

METHODS

: Porcine kidneys were subjected to 25 min of warm ischaemia and 18 h of cold storage. They were reperfused ex vivo with autologous oxygenated blood to assess renal function. A group treated with hydrogen sulphide (0.5 mmol/l) infused 10 min before and after reperfusion (n = 6) was compared with an untreated control group (n = 7).

RESULTS

: Hydrogen sulphide significantly improved renal blood flow compared with control values (mean(s.d.) area under the curve (AUC) 614.9(165.5) versus 270.3(86.7) ml per min per 100 g.h; P = 0.001) and renal function (AUC creatinine: 1640(248) versus 2328(154) micromol/l.h; P = 0.001; AUC creatinine clearance: 6.94(5.03) versus 0.96(0.32) ml per min per 100 g.h; P = 0.004). Oxidative damage was also reduced by hydrogen sulphide (urinary 8-isoprostane at 1 h of reperfusion: 478.9(237.1) versus 1605.6(632.7) pg/ml per mmol/l creatinine; P = 0.032).

CONCLUSION

: Hydrogen sulphide ameliorated the renal dysfunction associated with ischaemic damage, and has potential as a therapy against IR injury in NHB donor kidney transplantation.

Treatment with H2S-releasing diclofenac protects mice against acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury

Impaired lung function in severe acute pancreatitis is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in this condition. Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is a naturally occurring gas that has been shown to be a potent vasodilator. Diclofenac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activity. ACS15 is an H(2)S-releasing derivative of diclofenac. Little is known about its effectiveness as an anti-inflammatory drug. In this report, we describe the effect of diclofenac and its H(2)S-releasing derivative on acute pancreatitis and associated lung injury in the mouse. Acute pancreatitis was induced in mice by hourly i.p. injections of cerulein. Diclofenac and ACS15 were administered either 1 hour before or 1 hour after starting cerulein injections, and the severity of acute pancreatitis and associated lung injury was assessed. The severity of acute pancreatitis was determined by hyperamylasemia, neutrophil sequestration in the pancreas (pancreatic myeloperoxidase activity), and pancreatic acinar cell injury/necrosis on histological examination of pancreas sections. The severity of acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury was assessed by neutrophil sequestration in the lungs (lung myeloperoxidase activity) and by histological examination of lung sections. ACS15, given prophylactically and therapeutically, significantly reduced lung inflammation without having any significant effect on pancreatic injury. These results suggest the usefulness of H(2)S-releasing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as potential treatments for pancreatitis-associated lung injury.