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Hydrogen sulfide protects neurons from oxidative stress
Author(s) -
Kimura Yuka,
Kimura Hideo
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.04-1815fje
Subject(s) - glutathione , oxidative stress , cystine , glutamate receptor , hydrogen sulfide , chemistry , antioxidant , cysteine , biochemistry , biophysics , microbiology and biotechnology , programmed cell death , biology , sulfur , enzyme , receptor , organic chemistry , apoptosis
Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), which is a well‐known toxic gas, is found in relatively high concentrations in the brain. Although a neuromodulatory role of H 2 S has been demonstrated, little is known of its other biological functions. Here we show that H 2 S protects primary cultures of neurons from death in a well‐studied model of oxidative stress caused by glutamate, a process called oxidative glutamate toxicity—or oxytosis. We found that H 2 S increases the glutathione levels, which normally decrease during the cell death cascade, by enhancing the activity of γ‐ glutamylcysteine synthetase and up‐regulating cystine transport. Cystine (cysteine) is the rate‐ limiting substrate of glutathione synthesis. These observations reveal that H 2 S protects neurons from oxytosis by increasing the production of the antioxidant glutathione.