Involvement of endogenous hydrogen sulfide in cigarette smoke-induced changes in airway responsiveness and inflammation of rat lung

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), recently considered the third endogenous gaseous transmitter, may have an important role in systemic inflammation. We investigated whether endogenous H2S may be a crucial mediator in airway responsiveness and airway inflammation in a rat model of chronic exposure to cigarette smoke (CS). Rats randomly divided into control and CS-exposed groups were treated with or without sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, donor of H2S) or propargylglycine (PPG, inhibitor of cystathionine-γ-lyase [CSE], an H2S-synthesizing enzyme) for 4-month exposure. Serum H2S level and CSE protein expression in lung tissue were higher, by 2.04- and 2.33-fold, respectively, in CS-exposed rats than in controls (P < 0.05). Exogenous administration of NaHS to CS-exposed rats alleviated airway reactivity induced by acetylcholine (Ach) or potassium chloride (KCl) by 17.4% and 13.8%, respectively, decreased lung pathology score by 32.7%, inhibited IL-8 and TNF- α concentrations in lung tissue by 34.2% and 31.4%, respectively, as compared with CS-exposed rats (all P < 0.05). However, blocking endogenous CSE with PPG in CS-exposed rats increased airway reactivity induced by Ach or KCl, by 24.1% and 24.5%, respectively, and aggravated lung pathology score, by 44.8%, as compared with CS-exposed rats (all P < 0.01). Incubation in vitro with NaHS, 1–3 mmol/L, relaxed rat tracheal smooth muscle precontracted by Ach or KCl. However, the NaHS-induced relaxation was not blocked by glibenclamide (10−4 mol/L), L-NAME (10−4 mol/L), or ODQ (1 μmol/L) or denudation of epithelium. Endogenous H2S may have a protective role of anti-inflammation and bronchodilation in chronic CS-induced pulmonary injury.