Radioprotective role of H(2)S/CSE pathway in Chang liver cells

Co-assembled Nanocarriers of De Novo Thiol-Activated Hydrogen Sulfide Donors with an RGDFF Pentapeptide for Targeted Therapy of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Hydrogen sulfide releasing agents (or H₂S donors) have been recognized gasotransmitters with potent cytoprotective and anticancer properties. However, the clinical application of H₂S donors has been hampered by their fast H₂S-release, instability, and lack of tumor targeting, despite the unclear molecular mechanism of H₂S action. Here we rationally designed an amphiphilic pentapeptide (RGDFF) to coassemble with the de novo designed thiol-activated H₂S donors (CL2/3) into nanocarriers for targeted therapy of non-small-cell lung cancer, which has been proved as a one-stone-three-birds strategy. The coassembly approach simply solved the solubility issue of CL2/3 by the introduction of electron-donating groups (phenyl rings) to slow down the H₂S release while dramatically improving their biocompatible interface, circulation time, slow release of H₂S, and tumor targeting. Experimental results confirmed that as-prepared coassembled nanocarriers can significantly induce the intrinsic apoptotic, effectively arrest cell cycle at the G2/M phase, inhibit H₂S-producing enzymes, and lead to mitochondrial dysfunction by increasing intracellular ROS production in H1299 cells. The mouse tumorigenesis experiments further confirmed the in vivo anticancer effects of the coassembled nanocarriers, and such treatment made tumors more sensitive to radiotherapy then improved the prognosis of tumor-bearing mice, which holds great promise for developing a new combined approach for NSCLC.

Physiological roles of hydrogen sulfide in mammalian cells, tissues and organs

H2S belongs to the class of molecules known as gasotransmitters, which also includes nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). Three enzymes are recognized as endogenous sources of H2S in various cells and tissues: cystathionine g-lyase (CSE), cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MST). The current article reviews the regulation of these enzymes as well as the pathways of their enzymatic and non-enzymatic degradation and elimination. The multiple interactions of H2S with other labile endogenous molecules (e.g. NO) and reactive oxygen species are also outlined. The various biological targets and signaling pathways are discussed, with special reference to H2S and oxidative posttranscriptional modification of proteins, the effect of H2S on channels and intracellular second messenger pathways, the regulation of gene transcription and translation and the regulation of cellular bioenergetics and metabolism. The pharmacological and molecular tools currently available to study H2S physiology are also reviewed, including their utility and limitations. In subsequent sections, the role of H2S in the regulation of various physiological and cellular functions is reviewed. The physiological role of H2S in various cell types and organ systems are overviewed. Finally, the role of H2S in the regulation of various organ functions is discussed as well as the characteristic bell-shaped biphasic effects of H2S. In addition, key pathophysiological aspects, debated areas, and future research and translational areas are identified A wide array of significant roles of H2S in the physiological regulation of all organ functions emerges from this review.

Engineering a highly selective probe for ratiometric imaging of H2S n and revealing its signaling pathway in fatty liver disease

Hydrogen polysulfides (H2S n , n > 1) have continuously been proved to act as important signal mediators in many physiological processes. However, the physiological role of H2S n and their signaling pathways in complex diseases, such as the most common liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), have not been elucidated due to lack of suitable tools for selective detection of intracellular H2S n . Herein, we adopted a general and practical strategy including recognition site screening, construction of a ratiometric probe and self-assembly of nanoparticles, to significantly improve the probes' selectivity, photostability and biocompatibility. The ratiometric probe PPG-Np-RhPhCO selectively responds to H2S n , avoiding interaction with biothiol and persulfide. Moreover, this probe was applied to image H2S n in NAFLD for the first time and reveal the H2S n generation pathways in the cell model of drug-treated NAFLD. The pathway of H2S n revealed by PPG-Np-RhPhCO provides significant insights into the roles of H2S n in NAFLD and future drug development.

Blocking Endogenous H2S Signaling Attenuated Radiation-Induced Long-Term Metastasis of Residual HepG2 Cells through Inhibition of EMT

Recurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radiotherapy are frequently observed in clinical practice. To date, the involved mechanism, endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), has not been well understood and warrants investigation. Here we demonstrated that both single-dose and fractionated irradiation enhanced metastasis of HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo at 20-60 days postirradiation. In particular, a gain in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal features was observed. Further experiments revealed that endogenous H₂S signaling was constitutively activated after irradiation. Knockdown of cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) or cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), two main H₂S-producing proteins, significantly diminished the increased expressions of EMT-related proteins induced by radiation through the p38MAPK pathway, leading to impaired invasion and metastasis of the residual HepG2 cells and their xenograft tumors. Moreover, blocking of the H₂S pathway increased the radiosensitivity of the HepG2 xenograft tumor. Collectively, our results strongly suggest that endogenous H₂S/CSE contributes to the long-term cell invasion and tumor metastasis induced by fractionated exposures and therefore, could become an attractive therapeutic target of HCC to eliminate radiotherapy-induced adverse effects.

Radioprotective effects of lentil sprouts against X-ray radiation

The present study investigated the radioprotective efficacy of lentil (Lens culinaris) sprouts against X-ray radiation-induced cellular damage. Lentil seeds were dark germinated at low temperature and the sprout extract was prepared in PBS. Free radical scavenging of extract was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and then the radioprotective potency of extract (0 to 1000 μg/mL) on the lymphocyte cells was determined by lactate dehydrogenases assay. Moreover, micronuclei assay was assessed using the cytokinesis-block technique. The irradiations were performed using 6 MV X-ray beam. The value of IC₅₀ for DPPH assay was 250 μg/mL. The median lethal dose for radiation was determinate at 5.37 Gy. Pretreatment with lentil sprout extract at 1000 μg/mL reduced cytotoxicity at 6 Gy total concentration from 70% to 50%. The results of micronuclei assay indicated that cells were resistant to radiation at concentrations of 500–1000 μg/mL of exogenous lentil sprout extract. The value of median effective concentration for micronuclei assay was 500 μg/mL. The results indicated that lentil sprout extract showed actually somewhat radioprotective effect on lymphocyte cell. In addition, the obtained results suggest that extract of total lentil sprout have more antioxidant activity than radicle part.

Radiation Exposure Promotes Hepatocarcinoma Cell Invasion through Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition Mediated by H2S/CSE Pathway

There is growing evidence to suggest that radiotherapy can paradoxically promote tumor invasion and metastatic processes, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain obscure. In this study, we found that exposure to X rays promoted cell invasion by triggering the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in two hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5. This was made evident by a reduced expression of E-cadherin and enhanced expressions of N-cadherin, Vimentin and Snail. Moreover, exposure to radiation stimulated the signaling of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a newly found gas transmitter, by upregulating the expressions of H2S-producing proteins of cysthionine-γ-lyase (CSE), cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS). Inhibition of CSE by siRNA or inhibitor not only increased the radiosensitivity but also strongly suppressed radiation-enhanced invasive properties of HCC cells. Interestingly, we found that H2S/CSE inhibition attenuated radiation-enhanced EMT, and the above effect was an end result of blockage of the radiation-activated pathway of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK). Collectively, our findings indicate that radiation could promote HCC cell invasion through EMT mediated by endogenous H2S/CSE signaling via the p38MAPK pathway.

Controversies and conundrums in hydrogen sulfide biology

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) signaling has been implicated in physiological processes in practically all organ systems studied to date. At times the excitement of this new field has outpaced the technical expertise or practical knowledge with which to accurately assess these advancements. Recently, the myriad of proposed H2S actions has spawned interest in using indicators of H2S metabolism, especially plasma H2S concentrations, as a means of identifying a variety of pathophysiological conditions or to predict clinical outcomes. While this is a noteworthy endeavor, there are a number of contraindications to this practice at this time. First, there is little consensus regarding normal, i.e., "physiological" concentrations of H2S in either plasma or tissue. In fact, it has been shown that the methods most often employed for these measurements are associated with substantial artifact. Second, interactions, or presumed lack thereof, of H2S with other biomolecules (e.g., O2, H2O2, pH, etc.) or analytical reagents (e.g., reducing reagents, N-ethylmaleimide, phenylarsine, etc.) are often assumed but not evaluated. Third, the experimental design and/or statistical analyses may not be sufficient to justify using H2S concentration in tissue or blood as a predictive biomarker of pathophysiology. In this study, we first briefly review the problems associated with plasma and tissue H2S measurements and the associated errors and we provide some simple methods to evaluate whether the data obtained is physiologically relevant. Second we provide a brief analysis of H2S interactions with the above biomolecules. Third, we provide a statistical tool with which to determine the clinical applicability of H2S measurements. It is hoped that these points will provide a rational background for future work.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S)/cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) pathway contributes to the proliferation of hepatoma cells

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S)/cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) pathway has been demonstrated to play vital roles in physiology and pathophysiology. However, its role in tumor cell proliferation remains largely unclear. Here we found that CSE over-expressed in hepatoma HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5 cells. Inhibition of endogenous H2S/CSE pathway drastically decreased the proliferation of HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5 cells, and it also enhanced ROS production and mitochondrial disruption, pronounced DNA damage and increased apoptosis. Moreover, this increase of apoptosis was associated with the activation of p53 and p21 accompanied by a decreased ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and up-regulation of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and caspase-3 activity. In addition, the negative regulation of cell proliferation by inhibition of H2S/CSE system correlated with the blockage of cell mitogenic and survival signal transduction of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) via down-regulating the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation. These results demonstrate that H2S/CSE and its downstream pathway contribute to the proliferation of hepatoma cells, and inhibition of this pathway strongly suppress the excessive growth of hepatoma cells by stimulating mitochondrial apoptosis and suppressing cell growth signal transduction.