Is hydrogen sulfide an anti–aging agent?
Hydrogen sulfide is attracting more and more attention of specialists as an important endogenous signaling molecule that affects the functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
The ability of this compound to slow aging has been known for a long time, but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have long remained a mystery. Recently, there has been evidence that the effect of hydrogen sulfide is due to its ability to inhibit free radical reactions by activating the enzyme SIRT1, which is considered a regulator of life expectancy. Its interaction with the klotho gene, also known for its ability to slow down aging, is also possible.
Hydrogen sulfide is synthesized in the body and has a whole range of important physiological effects. For example, it relaxes the vascular endothelium and smooth muscle cells, which is very important for maintaining the free lumen of the arteries in an aging body. It is also an antioxidant, suppresses the expression of pro-inflammatory factors that play an important role in the development of age-related diseases. For example, mice with a non-functional CSE gene encoding an enzyme necessary for the synthesis of hydrogen sulfide rapidly develop early atherosclerosis, which is an inevitable manifestation of aging in a normal body.
It is believed that the klotho gene, whose activity is stimulated by hydrogen sulfide, increases life expectancy through several mechanisms, some of which stimulate the production of endogenous antioxidants.
Hydrogen sulfide synthesized by the kidneys directly inhibits the activity of the angiotensin-converting enzyme, that is, it is an endogenous analogue of drugs of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors group used to reduce blood pressure. The content of hydrogen sulfide in blood plasma decreases with age, and it is not surprising that it is reduced in the blood plasma of rats with spontaneous hypertension. In general, the low content of hydrogen sulfide in the body provokes the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system.
It is also believed that a decrease in the concentration of hydrogen sulfide undermines the health of the nervous system. It turned out that the deficiency of endogenous hydrogen sulfide is characteristic of the animal model of Parkinson's disease, as well as for the brain tissue of patients with Alzheimer's disease. There are even prerequisites indicating that hydrogen sulfide has a protective effect against malignant diseases. These assumptions are mainly based on the results of animal experiments, but there are also clinical data among them.
Currently available scientific data indicate that hydrogen sulfide is potentially a powerful agent capable of preventing the development and attenuating the symptoms of aging and associated diseases. Perhaps in the future, hydrogen sulfide in the form of biological additives will become an important component of the diet of people who monitor their health.
Article by Y. Zhang et al. Hydrogen sulfide: the next potential preventive and therapeutic agent in aging and age-associated diseases is published in the journal Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the American Society for Microbiology:
Hydrogen Sulfide: The Next Anti-Aging Agent?30.01.2013