Emerging roles of hydrogen sulfide-metabolizing enzymes in cancer.

Gasotransmitters play crucial roles in regulating many physiological processes, including cell signaling, cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, mitochondrial function, antioxidant production, nervous system functions and immune responses. Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is the most recently identified gasotransmitter, which is characterized by its biphasic behavior. At low concentrations, HS promotes cellular bioenergetics, whereas at high concentrations, it can exert cytotoxic effects.

Increased hydrogen sulfide turnover serves a cytoprotective role during the development of replicative senescence.

The mammalian gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide (HS) is produced by enzymes such as cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MST). Prior studies suggest that HS may have cytoprotective and anti-aging effects. This project explores the regulation and role of endogenous HS in a murine model of replicative senescence.

Endocrine disrupting effects on morphological synaptic plasticity.

Neural regulation of the homeostasis depends on healthy synaptic function. Adaptation of synaptic functions to physiological needs manifests in various forms of synaptic plasticity (SP), regulated by the normal hormonal regulatory circuits. During the past several decades, the hormonal regulation of animal and human organisms have become targets of thousands of chemicals that have the potential to act as agonists or antagonists of the endogenous hormones.