Hydrogen sulfide induces apoptosis of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell in rats with pulmonary hypertension induced by high pulmonary blood flow.

Background: Abnormal apoptosis of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) is an important pathophysiological process in the pulmonary artery structural remodeling and pulmonary hypertension. We investigated possible effect of endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on apoptosis of PASMCs during the development of pulmonary hypertension induced by high pulmonary blood flow.

Methods: Thirty-nine male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 4-week control, 4-week shunt, 4-week shunt + propargylglycine (PPG), 11-week control, 11-week shunt and 11-week shunt + sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) groups.