Lower Hydrogen Sulfide Is Associated with Cardiovascular Mortality, Which Involves cPKCβII/Akt Pathway in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

Background/Aims: To evaluate the relationship between plasma hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and cardiovascular risk markers, including pulse pressure (PP), left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and intima-media thickness (IMT), and mortality in chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients and further investigate the underlying cardiovascular protection mechanism of H2S. Methods: CHD patients, 113 of them, were studied. Plasma H2S was measured through zinc acetate reaction. cPKC beta II membrane translocation and phosphorylation of Akt were detected by western blot. Results: Lower plasma H2S level in CHD patients was predictor of an increased PP, LVMI and IMT. Patients with lower H2S had a lower survival at the end of the study. H2S was an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality when adjusted for other risk factors. CHD patients with lower H2S showed an increase of cPKC beta II activation, but phosphorylation of Akt decreased. The level of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 increased significantly. Conclusions: Lower plasma H2S in CHD patients is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and mortality, which may be mediated by the cPKC beta II/Akt pathway and further VCAM-1/ ICAM-1 upregulation. (C) 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel