Hydrogen Sulfide Attenuates the Recruitment of CD11b(+)Gr-1(+) Myeloid Cells and Regulates Bax/Bcl-2 Signaling in Myocardial Ischemia Injury

Hydrogen sulfide, an endogenous signaling molecule, plays an important role in the physiology and pathophysiology of the cardiovascular system. Using a mouse model of myocardial infarction, we investigated the anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of the H(2)S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS). The results demonstrated that the administration of NaHS improved survival, preserved left ventricular function, limited infarct size, and improved H(2)S levels in cardiac tissue to attenuate the recruitment of CD11b(+)Gr-1(+) myeloid cells and to regulate the Bax/Bcl-2 pathway. Furthermore, the cardioprotective effects of NaHS were enhanced by inhibiting the migration of CD11b(+)Gr-1(+) myeloid cells from the spleen into the blood and by attenuating post-infarction inflammation. These observations suggest that the novel mechanism underlying the cardioprotective function of H(2)S is secondary to a combination of attenuation the recruitment of CD11b(+)Gr-1(+) myeloid cells and regulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 apoptotic signaling.