Impact of hydrogen sulfide on carbon monoxide/heme oxygenase pathway in the pathogenesis of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

Hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) is an important pathophysiological process of a variety of cardiac and pulmonary diseases. But the mechanisms responsible for HPH are still not fully understood. The discoveries of endogenous gas signal molecules, nitric oxide (NO), and carbon monoxide (CO), have been moving the research of HPH to a new phase. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which is now being considered as the third new gas transmitter, was found to be possibly involved in the pathogenesis of HPH. But whether there exists an interaction between H2S and CO has not been clear in the pathogenesis of HPH. In this study, we found that H2S was significantly decreased in the pathogenesis of HPH. However, plasma CO level and the expressions of heme oxygenase (HO-1) protein and HO-1 mRNA were significantly increased. Exogenous supply of H2S could alleviate the elevation of pulmonary arterial pressure. At the same time, plasma CO level and the expressions of HO-1 protein and mRNA in pulmonary arteries were significantly increased. Whereas, exogenous supply of propargylglycine (PPG), an inhibitor of cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE), decreased the plasma H2S content and worsened HPH. At the same time, plasma CO level and the expressions of HO-1 protein and mRNA in pulmonary arteries were decreased. The results showed that H2S could play a regulatory role in the pathogenesis of HPH through up-regulating CO/HO pathway.