Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a naturally occurring gas with potent
vasodilator activity.
Cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE) and
cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS) utilize
L-cysteine as substrate to form H2S. Of these two
enzymes,
cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE) is believed to be the key
enzyme that forms H2S in the cardiovascular system. Whilst H2S has been reported to relax precontracted rat arteries in vitro and to lower blood pressure in the rat, its effect in an inflammatory condition such as
acute pancreatitis has not previously been reported. In this paper, we report the presence of H2S synthesizing
enzyme activity and CSE (as determined by
mRNA signal) in the pancreas. Also, prophylactic, as well as therapeutic, treatment with the CSE inhibitor, DL-
propargylglycine (PAG), significantly reduced the severity of
caerulein-induced
pancreatitis and associated
lung injury, as determined by 1)
hyperamylasemia [plasma
amylase (U/L) (control, 1204+/-59); prophylactic treatment: placebo, 10635+/-305; PAG, 7904+/-495; therapeutic treatment: placebo, 10427+/-470; PAG, 7811+/-428; P<0.05 PAG c.f. placebo; n=24 animals in each group]; 2) neutrophil sequestration in the pancreas [pancreatic
myeloperoxidase oxidase (MPO) activity (fold increase over control) (prophylactic treatment: placebo, 5.78+/-0.63; PAG, 2.97+/-0.39; therapeutic treatment: placebo, 5.48+/-0.52; PAG, 3.03+/-0.47; P<0.05 PAG c.f. placebo; n=24 animals in each group)]; 3) pancreatic acinar cell injury/
necrosis; 4) lung MPO activity (fold increase over control) [prophylactic treatment: placebo, 1.99+/-0.16; PAG, 1.34+/-0.14; therapeutic treatment: placebo, 2.03+/-0.12; PAG, 1.41+/-0.97; P<0.05 PAG c.f. placebo; n=24 animals in each group]; and 5) histological evidence of
lung injury. These effects of CSE blockade suggest an important proinflammatory role of H2S in regulating the severity of
pancreatitis and associated
lung injury and raise the possibility that H2S may exert similar activity in other forms of
inflammation.