Clinical and Experimental Evidences of Hydrogen Sulfide Involvement in Lead-Induced Hypertension

Abstract EN

Lead- (Pb-) induced hypertension has been shown in humans and experimental animals and cardiovascular effects of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) have been reported previously.

However, no studies examined involvement of H2S in Pb-induced hypertension.

We found increases in diastolic blood pressure and mean blood pressure in Pb-intoxicated humans followed by diminished H2S plasmatic levels.

In order to expand our findings, male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Saline, Pb, NaHS, and Pb + NaHS.

Pb-intoxicated animals received intraperitoneally (i.p.) 1st dose of 8 μg/100 g of Pb acetate and subsequent doses of 0.1 μg/100 g for seven days and sodium hydrosulfide- (NaHS-) treated animals received i.p.

NaHS injections (50 μmol/kg/twice daily) for seven days.

NaHS treatment blunted increases in systolic blood pressure, increased H2S plasmatic levels, and diminished whole-blood lead levels.

Treatment with NaHS in Pb-induced hypertension seems to induce a protective role in rat aorta which is dependent on endothelium and seems to promote non-NO-mediated relaxation.

Pb-intoxication increased oxidative stress in rats, while treatment with NaHS blunted increases in plasmatic MDA levels and increased antioxidant status of plasma.

Therefore, H2S pathway may be involved in Pb-induced hypertension and treatment with NaHS exerts antihypertensive effect, promotes non-NO-mediated relaxation, and decreases oxidative stress in rats with Pb-induced hypertension.