Exogenous Hydrogen Sulfide Plays an Important Role by Regulating Autophagy in Diabetic-Related Diseases

Abstract

Autophagy is a vital cell mechanism which plays an important role in many physiological processes including clearing long-lived, accumulated and misfolded proteins, removing damaged organelles and regulating growth and aging. Autophagy also participates in a variety of biological functions, such as development, cell differentiation, resistance to pathogens and nutritional hunger. Recently, autophagy has been reported to be involved in diabetes, but the mechanism is not fully understood. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a colorless, water-soluble, flammable gas with the typical odor of rotten eggs, which has been known as a highly toxic gas for many years. However, it has been reported recently that H2S, together with nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, is an important gas signal transduction molecule. H2S has been reported to play a protective role in many diabetes-related diseases, but the mechanism is not fully clear. Recent studies indicate that H2S plays an important role by regulating autophagy in many diseases including cancer, tissue fibrosis diseases and glycometabolic diseases; however, the related mechanism has not been fully studied. In this review, we summarize recent research on the role of H2S in regulating autophagy in diabetic-related diseases to provide references for future related research.

Autophagy in Cell Survival and Death

“…Lv et al discussed the role of exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) in regulating autophagy in diabetic-related diseases [8]. H 2 S is a signal transducer in many biological functions, including antiapoptosis, antioxidative stress, blood vessel relaxation, blood pressure reduction, and the anti-inflammatory process.…”

Hydrogen Sulfide Plays an Important Role by Regulating Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Diabetes-Related Diseases

“…In addition, L-cystine can be converted into 3-mercaptopyruvate (3-MP) catalyzed by cysteine aminotransferase (CAT) by transferring amine to α-ketoglutarate to form 3-mercaptopyruvate (3-MP). Finally, 3-MP can be converted into H 2 S catalyzed by 3-MST (Figure 2) [32][33][34]. Studies have shown that H 2 S is involved in various physiological processes, including inflammatory response, energy metabolism, oxidative stress, mitochondrial biogenesis, and neuroregulation [35][36][37][38].…”

Theoretical Studies and Design Strategies of Highly Efficient Two-Photon Excited Fluorescent Probes for Hydrogen Sulfide Detection through Simulation of Excited-State Dynamics

“…Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), the third member of the endogenous gasotransmitter family along with nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO), is generated from L-cysteine (Cys) by cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) and converted within different organs and tissues. − As a signal molecule, H 2 S plays a critical role in numerous physiological and pathological processes, such as regulation of inflammation, vasodilation, apoptosis, and neuromodulation. − However, abnormal levels of H 2 S in living systems can cause a variety of diseases, including diabetes, Down’s syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, and cirrhosis of the liver. − Therefore, it is indispensable to develop highly sensitive and selective detection methods for monitoring the level of endogenous H 2 S in complicated biological systems.…”