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. cPKCβII 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 cPKCβII 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 cPKCβII/Akt pathway and further VCAM-1/ICAM-1 upregulation.