TY - JOUR T1 - The anti-proliferative effect of hydrogen sulfide upon human airway smooth muscle in COPD JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 44 IS - Suppl 58 SP - 3417 AU - Mark Perry AU - Alice Tu AU - Gurpreet Sehra AU - Ian Adcock AU - Fan Chung Y1 - 2014/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/3417.abstract N2 - RationaleHydrogen sulfide (H2S) has emerged as an important gaseous mediator in cellular physiology and pathology. We previously demonstrated that exposure of primary healthy human airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells to H2S “donors” inhibited proliferation and CXCL8 release. ASM mass is increased in COPD and these cells contribute to airway inflammation and remodelling by secreting inflammatory cytokines and self-regulation of proliferation. We previously demonstrated that ASM cells in COPD are hyperproliferative and release greater amounts of IL-6 and CXCL8. We investigated the effect of H2S on ASM proliferation and CXCL8 release in cell from COPD patients.MethodsHuman primary ASM cells were grown from age-matched healthy non-smokers, healthy smokers and COPD patients (n = 9 in each group). Cells were stimulated with TGF-β before treatment with the H2S donor NaSH. CXCL8 secretion, cell proliferation and cell viability was assessed. mRNA expression was examined by TaqMan RT-PCR.ResultsTGF-β-induced proliferation and CXCL8 release was inhibited to a greater extent by NaSH in ASM cells from healthy non-smokers compared to the effect on cells from healthy smokers and COPD patients. H2S production is dependent upon the enzyme cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS). CBS mRNA expression was reduced in ASM cells from patients with COPD.ConclusionsExogenously applied H2S can regulate ASM hyperproliferation and inflammatory mediator release from ASM cells in healthy smokers and patients with COPD. However, this effect is less than that seen in cells from healthy non-smokers. COPD cells lack CBS suggesting that the aberrant phenotype seen in these cells may be due to a lack of endogenous H2S production. ER -