Evidence That Hydrogen Sulphide Can Modulate Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Function: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies in the Rat

The gas hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is normally produced in large amounts in the central nervous system during the metabolism of sulphur‐containing aminoacids. H2S was recently shown to influence long‐term potentiation in the rat hippocampus; this finding suggested that the gas may act as a neuromodulat...

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Published in:Journal of neuroendocrinology 2000-03, Vol.12 (3), p.225-233
Main Authors: Dello Russo, C, Tringali, G, Ragazzoni, E, Maggiano, N, Menini, E, Vairano, M, Preziosi, P, Navarra, P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adrenal Glands - drug effects
Adrenal Glands - physiology
Animals
corticosterone
corticotropin-releasing hormone
Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone - secretion
Glucocorticoids - secretion
Hydrogen Sulfide - pharmacology
hydrogen sulphide
Hypothalamus - drug effects
Hypothalamus - physiology
Hypothalamus - ultrastructure
L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - secretion
Male
Microscopy, Electron
Pituitary Gland - drug effects
Pituitary Gland - physiology
Potassium Chloride - pharmacology
Rats
Rats, Wistar
S-adenosyl-methionine
S-Adenosylmethionine - pharmacology
stress
Stress, Physiological
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Summary:The gas hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is normally produced in large amounts in the central nervous system during the metabolism of sulphur‐containing aminoacids. H2S was recently shown to influence long‐term potentiation in the rat hippocampus; this finding suggested that the gas may act as a neuromodulator in the brain. We therefore tested the effect of the gas on the release of corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) from rat hypothalamic explants. CRH immunoreactivity in the incubation media was taken as a marker of peptide release. We found that the addition of NaHS to incubation media was consistently associated with a concentration‐dependent decrease in KCl‐stimulated CRH release, whereas basal secretion was unaffected. Increased endogenous H2S production may be also obtained using an indirect precursor of H2S formation, S‐adenosyl‐ l‐methionine (SAMe). The latter mimicked the effects of NaHS, since it reduced potassium‐stimulated CRH release. In vivo, SAMe showed no effect on hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) function under resting conditions, but inhibited stress‐related glucocorticoid increase.
ISSN:0953-8194
1365-2826
DOI:10.1046/j.1365-2826.2000.00441.x