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Review
. 2023 Mar 6;12(3):652.
doi: 10.3390/antiox12030652.

Advances of H2S in Regulating Neurodegenerative Diseases by Preserving Mitochondria Function

Lina Zhou  1 , Qiang Wang  1
Affiliations
Review

Advances of H2S in Regulating Neurodegenerative Diseases by Preserving Mitochondria Function

Lina Zhou et al. Antioxidants (Basel). .

Abstract

Neurotoxicity is induced by different toxic substances, including environmental chemicals, drugs, and pathogenic toxins, resulting in oxidative damage and neurodegeneration in mammals. The nervous system is extremely vulnerable to oxidative stress because of its high oxygen demand. Mitochondria are the main source of ATP production in the brain neuron, and oxidative stress-caused mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. H2S was initially identified as a toxic gas; however, more recently, it has been recognized as a neuromodulator as well as a neuroprotectant. Specifically, it modulates mitochondrial activity, and H2S oxidation in mitochondria produces various reactive sulfur species, thus modifying proteins through sulfhydration. This review focused on highlighting the neuron modulation role of H2S in regulating neurodegenerative diseases through anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and S-sulfhydration, and emphasized the importance of H2S as a therapeutic molecule for neurological diseases.

Keywords: hydrogen sulfide; mitochondria dysfunction; neurodegenerative diseases; oxidative stress; sulfhydration.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cellular biosynthesis and oxidation of H2S.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Proposed model of neuroprotection of AD afforded by H2S.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Proposed neuroprotective mechanisms of H2S in regulating PD. (A) H2S sulfhydrates the SIRT1 and promotes the activation of SIRT1, which subsequently activates the deacetylation of PGC-1α, resulting in mitochondria preservation and PD improvement. (B) H2S promotes the activation of parkin through sulfhydration, which finally leads to PD improvement. The red fonts represent sulfhydryl group. This model was created using BioRender (https://biorender.com/, accessed on 19 November 2022).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Overview of H2S in regulating neurodegenerative diseases.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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