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Hydrogen Sulfide and the Regulation of Neuronal Activities

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Signal Transduction and the Gasotransmitters

Summary

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a well-known toxic gas, and most studies about H2S have been devoted to its toxic effects. Recently, however, three groups discovered that the brain contains relatively high concentrations of endogenous H2S. This discovery accelerated the identification of an H2S-producing enzyme, cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), in the brain. In addition to the well-known regulators for CBS, S-adenosyl-L-methionine and pyridoxal-5′-phosphate, it was recently found that Ca2+/calmodulin-mediated pathways are involved in the regulation of CBS activity. H2S is produced in response to neuronal excitation and alters hippocampal long-term potentiation, a synaptic model for memory. The production of H2S in the brain is also regulated by testosterone. We describe herein recent progress in the study of H2S as a novel gasotransmitter in the brain.

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Authors
  1. Hideo Kimura
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

    Rui Wang MD, PhD, FAHA

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Kimura, H. (2004). Hydrogen Sulfide and the Regulation of Neuronal Activities. In: Wang, R. (eds) Signal Transduction and the Gasotransmitters. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-806-9_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-806-9_18

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61737-512-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-806-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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