Hydrogen sulfide as a regulatory factor in kidney health and disease.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is synthesized in nearly all organ systems including the kidney. Recent findings have revealed that HS functions as a gasotransmitter affecting a wide range of physiologic functions similar to other gasotransmitters nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). Research on HS regulation of kidney function is still in early stages. HS increases glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and inhibits sodium absorption by the tubules. There is burgeoning evidence that HS generation by kidney cells is reduced in acute and chronic disease states and that HS donors ameliorate injury. However, there are hints that the gas could also mediate kidney injury in specific models suggesting that its participation in kidney pathology is context-dependent. Expanding investigation of HS in kidney physiology and disease will not only help us understand its regulatory role but it may also give us a potential new target for therapeutic intervention.