Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christopher H. Switzer, Jon M. Fukuto
Summary: It has been found that hydrogen sulfide, hydropersulfides, and other polysulfide species are biochemically interconnected. The unique chemistry of hydropersulfides suggests that they may possess protective properties to help cells withstand oxidative and electrophilic stress. However, hydropersulfides and polysulfides can also generate oxidative and electrophilic stress as well. This article discusses the chemistry, biochemistry, and physiological implications of hydropersulfides and polysulfides, particularly their potential protective properties against various stresses and their role as stressors or signaling agents.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francisco J. Corpas
Summary: This article discusses the significant change in the perception of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in living organisms over the past three decades. Once considered toxic, H2S is now recognized as a multifunctional signaling molecule involved in various physiological processes in animal and plant cells. The article introduces a series of research papers highlighting the relevance of H2S in plant and mammalian research, as well as future directions for investigations.
ANTIOXIDANTS & REDOX SIGNALING
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Weiyun Wang, Shaofang Ren, Yunkun Lu, Xi Chen, Juanjuan Qu, Xiaojie Ma, Qian Deng, Zhensheng Hu, Yan Jin, Ziyu Zhou, Wenyan Ge, Yibing Zhu, Nannan Yang, Qin Li, Jiaqi Pu, Guo Chen, Cunqi Ye, Hao Wang, Xiaoyang Zhao, Zhiqiang Liu, Saiyong Zhu
Summary: Inhibition of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) by R406 enhances mouse chemical reprogramming by upregulating glycine level and transsulfuration cysteine biosynthesis, promoting cysteine metabolism and cellular hydrogen sulfide (H2S) production, which leads to decreased oxidative phosphorylation and ROS levels, ultimately enhancing the efficiency of chemical reprogramming.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jerzy Beltowski, Krzysztof Wiorkowski
Summary: Research found that hydrogen sulfide can stimulate lipolysis and may contribute to the enhanced lipolysis associated with obesity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jon M. Fukuto
Summary: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) plays a significant role in various physiological processes and is closely related biochemically to hydropersulfides (RSSH). Recent studies suggest that RSSH may interact with H2S in biological systems, providing new insights into the chemical biology of RSSH. The future direction of research will focus on determining the relevance of RSSH chemical biology to signaling and cellular physiology.
ANTIOXIDANTS & REDOX SIGNALING
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jolanta Kowalczyk-Boltuc, Krzysztof Wiorkowski, Jerzy Beltowski
Summary: This study investigated the effects of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and inorganic polysulfides on insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue. The results suggest that polysulfides may normalize insulin sensitivity, at least in the adipose tissue, in obesity/metabolic syndrome.
Article
Agronomy
Li Wang, Xingli Huang, Chengcheng Liu, Chen Zhang, Kaili Shi, Mingliang Wang, YanYan Wang, Qingyuan Song, Xiaoyu Chen, Peng Jin, Yonghua Zheng
Summary: The study investigated the effect of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) treatment on the respiration and energy metabolisms of refrigerated peach fruit and its relationship to chilling injury (CI). The results showed that H2S treatment reduced the activities of enzymes and the contents of metabolites in the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) and tricarboxylic acid (TCA)-cycle, resulting in a lower respiration rate. In contrast, H2S treatment increased the activities of enzymes and the contents of metabolites in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), leading to enhanced energy supply and alleviation of CI.
POSTHARVEST BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
A. Martelli, R. d'Emmanuele di Villa Bianca, G. Cirino, R. Sorrentino, V. Calderone, M. Bucci
Summary: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been extensively studied as a signal molecule in the body for the past 30 years. Researchers have explored both natural and synthetic sources of H2S, known as H2S donors, which differ in how they release H2S. In recent years, natural sulfur compounds found in foods have been identified as H2S donors and investigated for their potential health benefits. These compounds, called sulfanutraceuticals, are products derived from food sources that offer additional health advantages.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Kemper Young, Setsuko Yamane, Elmira Abbasi GharehTapeh, Shingo Kasamatsu, Hideshi Ihara, Urara Hasegawa
Summary: This study developed a novel approach to generate per/polysulfide species in cells by combining an H2S donor and MnPMCs. The results showed that MnPMCs catalyze the oxidation of H2S and increase intracellular per/polysulfide levels, leading to a proangiogenic response.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hai-Jian Sun, Si-Ping Xiong, Xu Cao, Lei Cao, Meng-Yuan Zhu, Zhi-Yuan Wu, Jin-Song Bian
Summary: Sodium tetrasulfide (Na2S4) treatment can ameliorate diabetic kidney disease by inhibiting inflammation cytokines and reducing oxidative stress, renal fibrosis, and cell apoptosis. Na2S4 acts through sulfhydrating SIRT1 to deactivate p65 NF-kappa B and STAT3 phosphorylation/acetylation, ultimately reducing oxidative stress, inflammation response, and EMT progression in renal tubular epithelial cells.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Chien -Wei Huang, Rebecca C. Deed, Katie Parish-Virtue, Lisa I. Pilkington, Michelle E. Walker, Vladimir Jiranek, Bruno Fedrizzi
Summary: This study investigates the formation of polysulfides in wine during fermentation, with Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the focus. The addition of cysteine increases the formation of shorter sulfur chain species, but longer sulfur chain species are not detected in finished wines.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eugenia Piragine, Valentina Citi, Kim Lawson, Vincenzo Calderone, Alma Martelli
Summary: After its discovery in the central nervous system, the physiological role of H2S has been extensively studied, especially in the control of vascular tone. Natural molecules derived from plants like garlic and rocket have shown slow H2S-releasing properties and potential as tools for hypertension management.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Vinayak S. Khodade, Sahil C. Aggarwal, Blaze M. Pharoah, Nazareno Paolocci, John P. Toscano
Summary: The discovery of alkylsulfenyl thiocarbonates as a new class of RSSH precursors has significant implications in biological systems, with the ability to release RSSH under physiologically relevant conditions and protect cells against oxidative stress. The release kinetics of RSSH from these precursors can be tuned through electronic modification, demonstrating the potential for increasing intracellular RSSH levels.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sarah G. Bolton, Michael D. Pluth
Summary: Hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and nitric oxide have attracted increasing scientific interest as gasotransmitter signaling molecules. Particularly, hydrogen sulfide has been studied for its ability to modulate cellular redox environments through the production of oxidized sulfur species. This study explores the inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase by pure sulfur and different polysulfides, demonstrating the potential of this simplified system for studying sulfur redox chemistry.
FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jacopo Spezzini, Eugenia Piragine, Roberta d'Emmanuele di Villa Bianca, Mariarosaria Bucci, Alma Martelli, Vincenzo Calderone
Summary: Epigenetics studies heritable modifications of genome expression, which do not affect the DNA sequence. Alterations in epigenetic mechanisms can impact phenotype and contribute to disease. Recent evidence suggests that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) plays a role in epigenetic regulation, from DNA methylation to histone modifications and non-coding RNA regulation. This review explores the potential for developing H2S-releasing "epidrugs" for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular disorders based on its regulatory role in epigenetics.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Tomonori Hara, Yuji Owada, Atsushi Takata
Summary: In this review, the recent advancements in the genetics of bipolar disorder (BD) are summarized, including the discovery of disease-associated loci, improved understanding of BD biology, correlations with other psychiatric disorders and behavioral traits, methods for predicting disease risk and drug response, and the identification of a single gene associated with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia spectrum. However, these findings have not yet had a clear impact on the improvement of clinical psychiatry of BD.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Daisuke Ito, Satoru Morimoto, Shinichi Takahashi, Kensuke Okada, Jin Nakahara, Hideyuki Okano
Summary: Significant progress has been made in drug screening for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, leading to the identification of candidate drugs and the advancement of clinical trials. This stem cell-based approach shows safety and positive effects, reducing costs and time compared to animal testing.
Article
Neurosciences
Kai Zhang, Yitan Yao, Kenji Hashimoto
Summary: Ketamine is a rapid antidepressant that can alleviate depressive symptoms within hours. However, its specific mechanisms of action are not yet clear, and it has several side effects. Understanding the pharmacological properties and mechanisms of ketamine can help develop a new generation of rapid antidepressants.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Youge Qu, Lijia Chang, Li Ma, Xiayun Wan, Kenji Hashimoto
Summary: This study compared the effects of hallucinogenic psychedelic drug DOI, non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analog lisuride, and novel antidepressant (R)-ketamine on depression-like behavior and dendritic spine density in the brain. It was found that lisuride and (R)-ketamine improved these changes, while DOI did not. This suggests that the antidepressant-like effect of lisuride is not associated with 5-HT2AR-related psychedelic effects.
PHARMACOLOGY BIOCHEMISTRY AND BEHAVIOR
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Yong Yang, Akifumi Eguchi, Xiayun Wan, Lijia Chang, Xingming Wang, Youge Qu, Chisato Mori, Kenji Hashimoto
Summary: This study suggests that Chrna7 knockout mice exhibit depression-like behaviors and reduced expression of synaptic proteins in the medial prefrontal cortex through the gut-microbiota-brain axis via the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve. Subdiaphragmatic vagotomy can block these depression-like behaviors and alter the composition of gut microbiota and microbiota-derived metabolites.
PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Youge Qu, Akifumi Eguchi, Xiayun Wan, Li Ma, Lijia Chang, Jiajing Shan, Yong Yang, Chisato Mori, Kenji Hashimoto
Summary: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), the most widely used illicit compound worldwide, may contribute to stress resilience in mice subjected to chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) through the gut-microbiota-brain axis. The study found that MDMA treatment prevented the negative effects of CSDS, such as splenomegaly, anhedonia-like phenotype, and increased interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in the mice. Gut microbiome analysis revealed differences between the saline + CSDS group and the MDMA + CSDS group, while metabolomics analysis showed altered plasma levels of N-epsilon-methyl-L-lysine in the saline + CSDS group compared to the control and MDMA + CSDS groups.
PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Sai Chen, Jin-Jin Yang, Yue Zhang, Lei Lei, Di Qiu, Hui-Min Lv, Zhen-Tao Sun, Kenji Hashimoto, Jian-Jun Yang
Summary: This study investigated the effects of a single-dose of esketamine during anesthesia induction on emergence delirium (ED) in preschool children after minor surgery. The study found that the use of esketamine was associated with a higher incidence and score of ED, as well as a longer post-anesthesia care unit stay. However, there were no significant differences in other outcomes between the two groups. Therefore, the use of esketamine in preschool children for minor surgery should be noticed.
EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Kenji Hashimoto
Summary: Cognitive impairment is a common feature in various psychiatric disorders, and current therapeutic drugs do not effectively improve it. However, (R,S)-ketamine, particularly (R)-ketamine, has shown potential in improving cognitive impairment. The gut-microbiome-brain axis may also play a role in cognitive impairment in psychiatric disorders.
EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Xiayun Wan, Akifumi Eguchi, Akemi Sakamoto, Yuko Fujita, Yong Yang, Youge Qu, Masahiko Hatano, Chisato Mori, Kenji Hashimoto
Summary: Depletion of gut microbiota induced by antibiotic administration affects spleen and brain function, leading to decreased spleen weight and altered immune cell populations. Depletion of gut microbiota also leads to changes in metabolite levels, affecting spleen and brain function.
BRAIN, BEHAVIOR, & IMMUNITY - HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Li Ma, Long Wang, Youge Qu, Xiayun Wan, Kenji Hashimoto
Summary: Relapse is common in remitted patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Arketamine, an (R)-enantiomer of ketamine, has persistent prophylactic actions in an inflammatory model of depression. The heme biosynthesis II pathway in the spleen could be a new target for the prevention of relapse in MDD patients.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Takahiro Shibata, Syoichi Tashiro, Masaya Nakamura, Hideyuki Okano, Narihito Nagoshi
Summary: Cell transplantation therapy using human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem/progenitor cells has shown efficacy in treating the subacute phase of spinal cord injury. However, there is a lack of focus on treatment in the chronic phase, which poses challenges in overcoming factors specific to chronic SCI. Combining different therapies and addressing issues in severe injury models and functional recovery are important for regenerative therapy in chronic SCI.
MEDICINA-LITHUANIA
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Shohei Komaki, Masatoshi Nagata, Eri Arai, Ryo Otomo, Kanako Ono, Yukiko Abe, Hideki Ohmomo, So Umekage, Natsuko Shinozaki, Tsuyoshi Hachiya, Yoichi Sutoh, Yayoi Otsuka-Yamasaki, Yasumichi Arai, Nobuyoshi Hirose, Akio Yoneyama, Hideyuki Okano, Makoto Sasaki, Yae Kanai, Atsushi Shimizu
Summary: This study explored the epigenetic signatures of exceptional healthy longevity and found that it depends not only on maintaining young epigenetic states but also on advanced states of specific epigenetic regions.
LANCET HEALTHY LONGEVITY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hideyuki Okano, Satoru Morimoto, Chris Kato, Jin Nakahara, Shinichi Takahashi
Summary: In recent years, clinical trials using iPSC technology for disease modeling and drug discovery have shown promising results, particularly for the treatment of ALS. ROPi has been identified as a potential ALS treatment and has undergone clinical trials and reverse translational research, demonstrating its ability to delay disease progression and prolong survival in ALS patients.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Yukihiko Shirayama, Masaaki Iwata, Kanako Miyano, Yuki Hirose, Yasunori Oda, Yuko Fujita, Kenji Hashimoto
Summary: Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) has shown antidepressant-like effects in a rat model of depression. It activates the BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway and AMPA receptors, and is associated with the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and basolateral region of amygdala.
Correction
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kazuo Nakajima, Mizuho Ishiwata, Adam Z. Weitemier, Hirotaka Shoji, Hiromu Monai, Hiroyuki Miyamoto, Kazuhiro Yamakawa, Tsuyoshi Miyakawa, Thomas J. McHugh, Tadafumi Kato
HUMAN MOLECULAR GENETICS
(2023)
