Hydrogen sulfide attenuates the inflammatory response in a mouse burn injury model

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a naturally occurring gaseous transmitter, which is important in normal physiology and disease. In the present study, the involvement of H2S in the regulation of the immune response induced by burn injury was investigated in mice. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to burn injuries and treated with vehicle (0.9% sodium chloride, NaCl; 100 ml/kg body weight; subcutaneously, s.c.) or the H2S donor (sodium hydrosulfide, NaHS; 2 mg/kg body weight; s.c.). Compared with the controls, mice which received burn injuries exhibited a significant decrease in plasma H2S levels. Moreover, the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‑α, interleukin (IL)‑6 and IL‑8 significantly increased, while IL‑10 levels were decreased, compared with that of the controls in the plasma of mice subjected to burn injuries. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in the liver tissue of injured mice was also markedly higher compared with that of the control group. However, the administration of NaHS significantly decreased the levels of TNF‑α, IL‑6 and IL‑8 but increased the levels of IL‑10 in the plasma of mice subjected to burn injuries. In addition, the MPO activity was decreased by NaHS. These results suggested that H2S regulates the inflammatory response induced by burn injury by modulating the levels of TNF‑α, IL‑6, IL‑8 and IL‑10. Thus, it was proposed that the administration of the H2S donor, NaHS, may be a useful therapy against the exaggerated immune response that is associated with burn injury.

Comparative evaluations of hypertrophic scar formation in in vivo models

“…On account of various investigations on scar treatments, a number of animal models have been established to develop HTS. Diverse species of the animals have been evaluated for the fibrosis study such as mouse, rat, rabbit, and pig . The mouse models have been used to study the full thickness human grafts and induction of burn injury on the animal back .…”

“…Diverse species of the animals have been evaluated for the fibrosis study such as mouse, rat, rabbit, and pig . The mouse models have been used to study the full thickness human grafts and induction of burn injury on the animal back . Similarly, the rat models have been established to investigate burn scarring .…”

The Sick and the Weak: Neuropathies/Myopathies in the Critically Ill

“…This molecule was originally named "cachectin" to acknowledge its association with catabolic states of cachexia. Circulating TNF-␣ concentrations are commonly elevated in critically ill patients (see above) and in animal models of critical illness, e.g., lipopolysaccharide administration (636), peritonitis (507), trauma (539), heart failure (20), and burn injury (799). Increases in TNF-␣ promote muscle weakness via two general mechanisms: 1) promotion of atrophy and 2) induction of contractile dysfunction.…”

Impaired hydrogen sulfide synthesis and IL-10 signaling underlie hyperhomocysteinemia-associated exacerbation of colitis

“…Thus, administration of H 2 S donors has been shown to suppress expression/synthesis of several "proinflammatory" cytokines (e.g., IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, TNF-α, IFN-γ, RANTES, etc.) in a variety of tissues while either sparing or stimulating expression/synthesis of IL-10 (29,(32)(33)(34)(35). In the present study, treatment of rats with colitis with the H 2 S donor (DADS) resulted in significant suppression of expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, and ICAM-1.…”