Differential Roles of Cystathionine Gamma-Lyase and Mercaptopyruvate Sulfurtransferase in Hapten-Induced Colitis and Contact Dermatitis in Mice

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) has been shown to act as both anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory mediators. Application of H(2)S donors generally protects against inflammation; however, experimental results using mice lacking endogenous H(2)S-producing enzymes, such as cystathionine γ-lyase (CTH) and mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST), are often contradictory. We herein examined two types of model hapten-induced inflammation models, colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease model of mucosal immunity) and contact dermatitis (a type IV allergic model of systemic immunity), in CTH-deficient (Cth(–/–)) and MPST-deficient (Mpst(–/–)) mice. Both mice exhibited no significant alteration from wild-type mice in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (Th1-type hapten)-induced colitis (a Crohn’s disease model) and oxazolone (Th1/Th2 mix-type; Th2 dominant)-induced colitis (an ulcerative colitis model). However, Cth(–/–) (not Mpst(–/–)) mice displayed more exacerbated phenotypes in trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB; Th1-type)-induced contact dermatitis, but not oxazolone, at the delayed phase (24 h post-administration) of inflammation. CTH mRNA expression was upregulated in the TNCB-treated ears of both wild-type and Mpst(–/–) mice. Although mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-6) was upregulated in both early (2 h) and delayed phases of TNCB-triggered dermatitis in all genotypes, that of Th2 (IL-4) and Treg cytokines (IL-10) was upregulated only in Cth(–/–) mice, when that of Th1 cytokines (IFNγ and IL-2) was upregulated in wild-type and Mpst(–/–) mice at the delayed phase. These results suggest that (upregulated) CTH or H(2)S produced by it helps maintain Th1/Th2 balance to protect against contact dermatitis.