Thiosulfate Mediates Cytoprotective Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide Against Neuronal Ischemia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) exhibits protective effects in various disease models including cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Nonetheless, mechanisms and identity of molecules responsible for neuroprotective effects of H2S remain incompletely defined. In the current study, we observed that thiosulfate, an oxidation product of H2S, mediates protective effects of an H2S donor compound sodium sulfide (Na2S) against neuronal I/R injury.

METHODS AND RESULTS:

We observed that thiosulfate in cell culture medium is not only required but also sufficient to mediate cytoprotective effects of Na2S against oxygen glucose deprivation and reoxygenation of human neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) and murine primary cortical neurons. Systemic administration of sodium thiosulfate (STS) improved survival and neurological function of mice subjected to global cerebral I/R injury. Beneficial effects of STS, as well as Na2S, were associated with marked increase of thiosulfate, but not H2S, in plasma and brain tissues. These results suggest that thiosulfate is a circulating "carrier" molecule of beneficial effects of H2S. Protective effects of thiosulfate were associated with inhibition of caspase-3 activity by persulfidation at Cys163 in caspase-3. We discovered that an SLC13 family protein, sodium sulfate cotransporter 2 (SLC13A4, NaS-2), facilitates transport of thiosulfate, but not sulfide, across the cell membrane, regulating intracellular concentrations and thus mediating cytoprotective effects of Na2S and STS.

CONCLUSIONS:

The protective effects of H2S are mediated by thiosulfate that is transported across cell membrane by NaS-2 and exerts antiapoptotic effects via persulfidation of caspase-3. Given the established safety track record, thiosulfate may be therapeutic against ischemic brain injury.

• Authors: Eizo Marutani, Marina Yamada, Tomoaki Ida, Kentaro Tokuda, Kohei Ikeda, Shinichi Kai, Kazuhiro Shirozu, Kei Hayashida, Shizuko Kosugi, Kenjiro Hanaoka, Masao Kaneki, Takaaki Akaike, Fumito Ichinose
• Journal: Journal of the American Heart Association (J Am Heart Assoc) Vol. 4 Issue 11 (Nov 06 2015) ISSN: 2047-9980 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 26546573 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)
• Copyright: © 2015 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Chemical References

• Anion Transport Proteins
• Neuroprotective Agents
• SLC13A4 protein, human
• Slc13a4 protein, mouse
• Sulfate Transporters
• Sulfites
• Symporters
• Thiosulfates
• sodium hydrogen sulfite
• CASP3 protein, human
• Casp3 protein, mouse
• Caspase 3
• Glucose

Topics

• Animals
• Anion Transport Proteins (metabolism)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Brain Ischemia (drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Caspase 3 (metabolism)
• Cell Hypoxia
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cytoprotection
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Gestational Age
• Glucose (deficiency)
• Humans
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Mitochondria (drug effects, metabolism, pathology)
• Neurons (drug effects, metabolism, pathology)
• Neuroprotective Agents (metabolism, pharmacology)
• Oxidation-Reduction
• Reperfusion Injury (metabolism, pathology, prevention & control)
• Sulfate Transporters
• Sulfites (metabolism, pharmacology)
• Symporters (metabolism)
• Thiosulfates (metabolism, pharmacology)
• Time Factors