1. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2011 Jul 15;15(2):343-52. Epub 2011 Apr 5.

Inhaled hydrogen sulfide prevents neurodegeneration and movement disorder in a
mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Kida K, Yamada M, Tokuda K, Marutani E, Kakinohana M, Kaneki M, Ichinose F.

Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Parkinson's disease is one of the major neurodegenerative disorders. Neurotoxin
1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) can cause Parkinson's
disease-like symptoms and biochemical changes in humans and animals. Hydrogen
sulfide (H(2)S) has been shown to protect neurons. The goal of this study was to
examine the effects of inhaled H(2)S in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease
induced by MPTP. Male C57BL/6J mice received MPTP at 80 mg/kg and breathed air
with or without 40 ppm H(2)S for 8 h/day for 7 days. Administration of MPTP
induced movement disorder and decreased tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-containing
neurons in the substantia nigra and striatum in mice that breathed air.
Inhalation of H(2)S prevented the MPTP-induced movement disorder and the
degeneration of TH-containing neurons. Inhaled H(2)S also prevented apoptosis of
the TH-containing neurons and gliosis in nigrostriatal region after
administration of MPTP. The neuroprotective effect of inhaled H(2)S after MPTP
administration was associated with upregulation of genes encoding antioxidant
proteins, including heme oxygenase-1 and glutamate-cysteine ligase. These
observations suggest that inhaled H(2)S prevents neurodegeneration in a mouse
model of Parkinson's disease induced by MPTP, potentially via upregulation of
antioxidant defense mechanisms and inhibition of inflammation and apoptosis in
the brain.

PMCID: PMC3118610 [Available on 2012/7/15]
PMID: 21050138 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]