Clinical and Experimental Evidences of Hydrogen Sulfide Involvement in Lead-Induced Hypertension

Biomed Res Int. 2018 Mar 28:2018:4627391. doi: 10.1155/2018/4627391. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Lead- (Pb-) induced hypertension has been shown in humans and experimental animals and cardiovascular effects of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) have been reported previously. However, no studies examined involvement of H2S in Pb-induced hypertension. We found increases in diastolic blood pressure and mean blood pressure in Pb-intoxicated humans followed by diminished H2S plasmatic levels. In order to expand our findings, male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Saline, Pb, NaHS, and Pb + NaHS. Pb-intoxicated animals received intraperitoneally (i.p.) 1st dose of 8 μg/100 g of Pb acetate and subsequent doses of 0.1 μg/100 g for seven days and sodium hydrosulfide- (NaHS-) treated animals received i.p. NaHS injections (50 μmol/kg/twice daily) for seven days. NaHS treatment blunted increases in systolic blood pressure, increased H2S plasmatic levels, and diminished whole-blood lead levels. Treatment with NaHS in Pb-induced hypertension seems to induce a protective role in rat aorta which is dependent on endothelium and seems to promote non-NO-mediated relaxation. Pb-intoxication increased oxidative stress in rats, while treatment with NaHS blunted increases in plasmatic MDA levels and increased antioxidant status of plasma. Therefore, H2S pathway may be involved in Pb-induced hypertension and treatment with NaHS exerts antihypertensive effect, promotes non-NO-mediated relaxation, and decreases oxidative stress in rats with Pb-induced hypertension.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aorta, Thoracic / drug effects
  • Aorta, Thoracic / pathology
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Sulfide / blood*
  • Hypertension / blood*
  • Hypertension / chemically induced*
  • Lead / toxicity*
  • Male
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar

Substances

  • Lead
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Hydrogen Sulfide