Jackson-Weaver O, Osmond JM, Riddle MA, Naik JS, Gonzalez Bosc LV, Walker BR, Kanagy NL. Hydrogen sulfide dilates rat mesenteric arteries by activating endothelial large-conductance Ca 2ϩ -activated K ϩ channels and smooth muscle Ca 2ϩ sparks. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 304: H1446 -H1454, 2013. First published March 22, 2013 doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00506.2012We have previously shown that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) reduces myogenic tone and causes relaxation of phenylephrine (PE)-constricted mesenteric arteries. This effect of H2S to cause vasodilation and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) hyperpolarization was mediated by large-conductance Ca 2ϩ -activated potassium channels (BKCa). Ca 2ϩ sparks are ryanodine receptor (RyR)-mediated Ca 2ϩ -release events that activate BKCa channels in VSMCs to cause membrane hyperpolarization and vasodilation. We hypothesized that H2S activates Ca 2ϩ sparks in small mesenteric arteries. Ca 2ϩ sparks were measured using confocal microscopy in rat mesenteric arteries loaded with the Ca 2ϩ indicator fluo-4. VSMC membrane potential (Em) was measured in isolated arteries using sharp microelectrodes. In PE-constricted arteries, the H2S donor NaHS caused vasodilation that was inhibited by ryanodine (RyR blocker), abluminal or luminal iberiotoxin (IbTx, BKCa blocker), endothelial cell (EC) disruption, and sulfaphenazole [cytochrome P-450 2C (Cyp2C) inhibitor]. The H2S donor NaHS (10 mol/l) increased Ca 2ϩ sparks but only in the presence of intact EC and this was blocked by sulfaphenazole or luminal IbTx. Inhibiting cystathionine ␥-lyase (CSE)-derived H2S with -cyano-L-alanine (BCA) also reduced VSMC Ca 2ϩ spark frequency in mesenteric arteries, as did EC disruption. However, excess CSE substrate homocysteine did not affect spark activity. NaHS hyperpolarized VSMC E m in PE-depolarized mesenteric arteries with intact EC and also hyperpolarized EC Em in arteries cut open to expose the lumen. This hyperpolarization was prevented by ryanodine, sulfaphenazole, and abluminal or luminal IbTx. BCA reduced IbTx-sensitive K ϩ currents in freshly dispersed mesenteric ECs. These results suggest that H2S increases Ca 2ϩ spark activity in mesenteric artery VSMC through activation of endothelial BKCa channels and Cyp2C, a novel vasodilatory pathway for this emerging signaling molecule.cytochrome P-450 epoxygenase; sodium hydrosulfide; membrane potential HYDROGEN SULFIDE (H 2 S) is a recently described vasodilator produced in the vasculature by the enzymes cystathionine ␥-lyase (CSE) and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3MST). H 2 S has been proposed to cause vasodilation through a variety of mechanisms (1,3,26,33) and genetic knockout of the CSE gene causes hypertension (32). We previously reported that inhibiting CSE or disrupting the endothelium enhances myogenic tone in small mesenteric arteries from rats and that exogenous H 2 S hyperpolarizes vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) membrane potential (E m ) and dilates arteries through activation of large-conductance Ca 2ϩ -activated K (4) and ...