H2S as a possible therapeutic alternative for the treatment of hypertensive kidney injury

•Exogenous H2S administration lowers blood pressure.•Hypertension is associated with malfunction of endogenous H2S system.•H2S disrupts the rate-limiting step in RAAS activation and attenuates renovascular hypertension.•H2S attenuates the progression of renal fibrosis in hypertension.•H2S reduces renal ROS production and oxidative stress and thereby attenuates hypertensive renal injury.

Hypertension is the most common cause of cardiovascular morbidities and mortalities, and a major risk factor for renal dysfunction. It is considered one of the causes of chronic kidney disease, which progresses into end-stage renal disease and eventually loss of renal function. Yet, the mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of hypertension and its associated kidney injury is still poorly understood. Moreover, despite existing antihypertensive therapies, achievement of blood pressure control and preservation of renal function still remain a worldwide public health challenge in a subset of hypertensive patients. Therefore, novel modes of intervention are in demand. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gaseous signaling molecule, has been established to possess antihypertensive and renoprotective properties, which may represent an important therapeutic alternative for the treatment of hypertension and kidney injury. This review discusses recent findings about H2S in hypertension and kidney injury from both experimental and clinical studies. It also addresses future direction regarding therapeutic use of H2S.