Exogenous hydrogen sulfide protects against hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress and cell apoptosis.

ABSTRACT: The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of exogenous hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress (ERS) in a rat model of hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. A total of 48 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (n=12/group) as follows: Sham, I/R, I/R preceded by NaHS (I/R-NaHS) and I/R preceded by L-C-propargylglycine (PAG), a H₂S inhibitor (I/R-PAG). With the exception of the sham group, the rats in the other groups were subjected to 30 min hepatic warm ischemia followed by reperfusion for 6 or 12 h. Hepatic function was evaluated by serum concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Apoptosis of hepatic cells was assessed by TUNEL staining and measurement of caspase-12 expression. The expression levels of ERS-associated proteins and mRNAs of pancreatic ER eukaryotic translation initiation factor-2a kinase (PERK), activating transcription factor-6 (ATF6), glucose-regulated protein (GRP) 78, TNF-receptor-associated factor (TRAF)-2, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and caspase-12 were also measured by western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The serum concentrations of ALT in the I/R and I/R-PAG groups were found to be significantly higher compared with those in the sham and I/R-NaHS groups after 6 h of reperfusion; in addition, the ALT level returned to normal in the I/R group, while it increased further in the I/R-PAG group after 12 h of reperfusion. A higher cell apoptosis rate was observed in the I/R and I/R-PAG groups and the highest cell apoptosis rate was observed in the I/R-PAG group; correspondingly, the expression of caspase-12 was increased in the I/R and I/R-PAG groups. H₂S appeared to significantly attenuate hepatic I/R-induced ERS response, as indicated by the decreased expression of ATF6, PERK, GRP78, TRAF2 and CHOP. Endogenous H₂S may serve a hepatoprotective function after I/R, and inhibition of endogenous H₂S results in aggravation of I/R damage. Exogenous H₂S was shown to inhibit ERS-related gene expression, leading to suppression of inflammatory reaction and improvement of I/R damage. Therefore, exogenous H₂S has therapeutic potential to alleviate hepatic I/R injury.

SUBMITTER: Chen L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8170662 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature