cells Review Hydrogen Sulfide Metabolism and Pulmonary Hypertension Lukas Roubenne 1,2,3, Roger Marthan 1,2,4 , Bruno Le Grand 3 and Christelle Guibert 1,2,* 1 INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-Thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Avenue du Haut-Lévêque, F-33604 Pessac, France;
[email protected] (L.R.);
[email protected] (R.M.) 2 Centre de Recherche Cardio-Thoracique de Bordeaux, Univ Bordeaux, U1045, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, F-33000 Bordeaux, France 3 OP2 Drugs, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, F-33604 Pessac, France;
[email protected] 4 CHU de Bordeaux, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, F-33604 Pessac, France * Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe and multifactorial disease characterized by a progressive elevation of pulmonary arterial resistance and pressure due to remodeling, inflammation, oxidative stress, and vasoreactive alterations of pulmonary arteries (PAs). Currently, the etiology of these pathological features is not clearly understood and, therefore, no curative treatment is available. Since the 1990s, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been described as the third gasotransmitter with plethoric regulatory functions in cardiovascular tissues, especially in pulmonary circulation. Alteration in H2S biogenesis has been associated with the hallmarks of PH. H2S is also involved in pulmonary vascular cell homeostasis via the regulation of hypoxia response and mitochondrial bioenergetics, which are critical phenomena affected during the development of PH. In addition, H2S modulates + ATP-sensitive K channel (KATP) activity, and is associated with PA relaxation. In vitro or in vivo H2S supplementation exerts antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, and reduces PA remodeling. Altogether, current findings suggest that H2S promotes protective effects against PH, and could be a relevant target for a new therapeutic strategy, using attractive H2S-releasing molecules.