Lower Hydrogen Sulfide Is Associated with Cardiovascular Mortality, Which Involves cPKCβII/Akt Pathway in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract

Background/Aims: To evaluate the relationship between plasma hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and cardiovascular risk markers, including pulse pressure (PP), left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and intima-media thickness (IMT), and mortality in chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients and further investigate the underlying cardiovascular protection mechanism of H₂S. Methods: CHD patients, 113 of them, were studied. Plasma H₂S was measured through zinc acetate reaction. cPKCβII membrane translocation and phosphorylation of Akt were detected by western blot. Results: Lower plasma H₂S level in CHD patients was predictor of an increased PP, LVMI and IMT. Patients with lower H₂S had a lower survival at the end of the study. H₂S was an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality when adjusted for other risk factors. CHD patients with lower H₂S showed an increase of cPKCβII activation, but phosphorylation of Akt decreased. The level of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 increased significantly. Conclusions: Lower plasma H₂S in CHD patients is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and mortality, which may be mediated by the cPKCβII/Akt pathway and further VCAM-1/ICAM-1 upregulation.

Impaired Hydrogen Sulfide–Mediated Vasodilation Contributes to Microvascular Endothelial Dysfunction in Hypertensive Adults

“…Because of the difficulty in accurately measuring H 2 S concentration and the ambiguity of data interpretation from gross measurements of bioactive sulfide metabolites, relatively few studies have examined H 2 S production in humans. Although low plasma H 2 S concentration is associated with cardiovascular mortality 38 , and plasma H 2 S concentration appears negatively correlated with blood pressure 16 , to our knowledge, only one previous study has measured H 2 S production in untreated HTN adults 36 . Interestingly, the authors reported a greater serum H 2 S concentration, measured via a sulfide sensitive electrode, in HTN adults, despite lower expression of 3-MPST.…”

Hydrogen Sulfide Improves Vascular Calcification in Rats by Inhibiting Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

“…H 2 S putatively activates Akt signaling [ 27 – 30 ], and activation of the Akt signaling pathway has a crucial role in counteracting ERS [ 31 – 33 ]. Several factors could inhibit ERS by activating Akt signaling, resulting in a protective effect on the cardiovascular system [ 34 ].…”

High Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Cardiovascular Mortality in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

“…Left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVDD), interventricular septum thickness (IVST) and left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT) were measured. LVMI was calculated and normalized by height 2.7 (LVMI = LVM/height 2.7 ) as previously [16]. …”