[Hydrogen sulfide and penile erection].

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is the third type of active endogenous gaseous signal molecule following nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). In mammalians, H2S is mainly synthesized by two proteases, cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE). H2S plays an essential function of physiological regulation in vivo, and promotes penile erection by acting on the ATP-sensitive potassium channels to relax the vascular smooth muscle as well as by the synergistic effect with testosterone and NO to relax the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (CCSM). At present, the selective phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor is mainly used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED), but some ED patients fail to respond. Therefore, further studies on the mechanism of H2S regulating penile erection may provide a new way for the management of erectile dysfunction.