The regulatory effect of hydrogen sulfide on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats

Hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) is an important pathophysiological process. The mechanism of HPH is still not fully understood. Recent studies showed that hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) could relax vascular smooth muscles and inhibit the proliferation of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Our study showed that both the gene expression of cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE), one of the H(2)S generating enzymes, and the activity of CSE were suppressed in lung tissues during HPH. And the plasma level of H(2)S was decreased during HPH. Exogenous supply of H(2)S could increase the plasma level of H(2)S, enhance CSE activity, and up-regulate CSE gene expression in lung tissue. At the same time, exogenous supply of H(2)S could oppose the elevation of pulmonary arterial pressure and lessen the pulmonary vascular structure remodeling during HPH. The results showed that endogenous H(2)S system was involved and exogenous H(2)S could exert beneficial effect on the pathogenesis of HPH.