Maternal high levels of the redox active amino acid homocysteine—called hyperhomocysteinemia (hHCY)—can affect the health state of the progeny. The effects of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) treatment on rats with maternal hHCY remain unknown. In the present study, we characterized the physical development, reflex ontogeny, locomotion and exploratory activity, muscle strength, motor coordination, and brain redox state of pups with maternal hHCY and tested potential beneficial action of the H2S donor—sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS)—on these parameters. Our results indicate a significant decrease in litter size and body weight of pups from dams fed with methionine-rich diet. In hHCY pups, a delay in the formation of sensory-motor reflexes was observed. Locomotor activity tested in the open field by head rearings, crossed squares, and rearings of hHCY pups at all studied ages (P8, P16, and P26) was diminished. Exploratory activity was decreased, and emotionality was higher in rats with hHCY. Prenatal hHCY resulted in reduced muscle strength and motor coordination assessed by the paw grip endurance test and rotarod test. Remarkably, administration of NaHS to pregnant rats with hHCY prevented the observed deleterious effects of high homocysteine on fetus development. In rats with prenatal hHCY, the endogenous generation of H2S brain tissues was lower compared to control and NaHS administration restored the H2S level to control values. Moreover, using redox signaling assays, we found an increased level of malondialdehyde (MDA), the end product of lipid peroxidation, and decreased activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the brain tissues of rats of the hHCY group. Notably, NaHS treatment restored the level of MDA and the activity of SOD and GPx. Our data suggest that H2S has neuroprotective/antioxidant effects against homocysteine-induced neurotoxicity providing a potential strategy for the prevention of developmental impairments in newborns.

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Soil-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) has a significant impact on aquatic ecosystems. Identifying the fluorescence signatures of DOM from different soils in river and sea waters can provide valuable insights into its migration patterns. This makes crucial the assessment of pH, salinity, and other parameters contribution to the variability of DOM fluorescence. Present study investigates the changes of DOM of typical Chernozems under varying salinity using UV-visible absorbance and excitation–emission matrices of fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis (EEMs-PARAFAC). Water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) as a proxy for DOM was isolated from soils of two field experiment plots with contrasting land uses: long-term bare fallow (LTBF) and annually mowed steppe (Steppe). The extracts were incubated in the dark with varying NaCl concentrations and examined. Steppe WEOM exhibited high structural and aggregation resistance to salinity changes, while significant changes in optical parameters and loads of PARAFAC components were observed for LTBF WEOM. The remarkable stability of the Steppe WEOM can be attributed to its chemical diversity. Two distinct and sufficiently stable humic-like PARAFAC components have the potential to serve as markers of Chernozem DOM. The findings contribute to the limited existing knowledge on the direct influence of salinity on the transformation of specific soil types DOM.