Modulation of Human Hydrogen Sulfide Metabolism by Micronutrients, Preliminary Data

Maurizio Dattilo; Carolina Fontanarosa; Michele Spinelli; Vittorio Bini; Angela Amoresano

doi:10.1177/11786388211065372

Modulation of Human Hydrogen Sulfide Metabolism by Micronutrients, Preliminary Data

Nutr Metab Insights. 2022 Jan 7:15:11786388211065372. doi: 10.1177/11786388211065372. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Maurizio Dattilo¹, Carolina Fontanarosa^{2

3}, Michele Spinelli^{2

3}, Vittorio Bini⁴, Angela Amoresano^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ R&D Department, Parthenogen, Lugano, Switzerland.
² Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli "Federico II," Naples, Italy.
³ Istituto Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi, Rome, Italy.
⁴ Department of Medicine and Surgery, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.

Abstract

Background: Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a pivotal gasotransmitter networking with nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) to regulate basic homeostatic functions. It is released by the alternative pathways of transulfuration by the enzymes Cystathionine Beta Synthase (CBS) and Cystathionine Gamma Lyase (CSE), and by Cysteine AminoTransferase (CAT)/ 3-Mercaptopyruvate Sulfur Transferase (3MPST). A non-enzymatic, intravascular release is also in place. We retrospectively investigated the possibility to modulate the endogenous H₂S release and signaling in humans by a dietary manipulation with supplemented micronutrients (L-cystine, Taurine and pyridoxal 5-phopsphate/P5P).

Methods: Patients referring for antiaging purposes underwent a 10-day supplementation. Blood was collected at baseline and after treatment and the metabolome was investigated by mass spectrometry to monitor the changes in the metabolites reporting on H₂S metabolism and related pathways.

Results: Data were available from 6 middle aged subjects (2 women). Micronutrients increased 3-mercaptopyruvate (P = .03), reporting on the activity of CAT that provides the substrate for H₂S release within mitochondria by 3MPST, decreased lanthionine (P = .024), reporting the release of H₂S from CBS, and had no significant effect of H₂S release from CSE. This is compatible with a homeostatic balancing. We also recorded a strong increase of reporters of H₂S-induced pathways including 5-MethylTHF (P = .001) and SAME (P = .022), reporting on methylation capacity, and of BH4 (P = .021) and BH2 (P = .028) reporting on nitric oxide metabolism. These activations may be explained by the concomitant induction of non-enzymatic release of H₂S.

Conclusions: Although the current evidences are weak and will need to be confirmed, the effect of micronutrients was compatible with an increase of the H₂S endogenous release and signaling within the control of homeostatic mechanisms, further endorsing the role of feeding in health and disease. These effects might result in a H₂S boosting effect in case of defective activity of pathologic origin, which should be checked in duly designed clinical trials.

Keywords: Cysteine; LC-MS/MS; hydrogen sulfide; l-cystine; micronutrients; pyridoxal 5-phosphate.