Vascular biology of hydrogen sulfide.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is a ubiquitous signaling molecule with important functions in many mammalian organs and systems. Observations in the 1990s ascribed physiological actions to HS in the nervous system, proposing that this gasotransmitter acts as a neuromodulator. Soon after that, the vasodilating properties of HS were demonstrated. In the past decade, HS was shown to exert a multitude of physiological effects in the vessel wall. HS is produced by vascular cells and exhibits antioxidant, antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and vasoactive properties. In this concise review, we have focused on the impact of HS on vascular structure and function with an emphasis on angiogenesis, vascular tone, vascular permeability and atherosclerosis. HS reduces arterial blood pressure, limits atheromatous plaque formation, and promotes vascularization of ischemic tissues. Although the beneficial properties of HS are well established, mechanistic insights into the molecular pathways implicated in disease prevention and treatment remain largely unexplored. Unraveling the targets and downstream effectors of HS in the vessel wall in the context of disease will aid in translation of preclinical observations. In addition, acute regulation of HS production is still poorly understood and additional work delineating the pathways regulating the enzymes that produce HS will allow pharmacological manipulation of this pathway. As the field continues to grow, we expect that HS-related compounds will find their way into clinical trials for diseases affecting the blood vessels.