Inflammation is a normal response to injury, but uncontrolled inflammation can lead to several diseases. In recent years, research has shown endogenously synthesized hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to be a novel mediator of inflammation. This review summarizes the current understanding and recent advances of H2S role with respect to inflammation in different diseases.
Recent Advances:
Promising early results from clinical studies suggest an important role of H2S in human inflammatory disease.
Critical Issues:
Defining the precise mechanism by which H2S contributes to inflammation is a complex challenge, and there is active ongoing research that is focused on addressing this question. Most of this work has been conducted on animal models of human disease and isolated/cultured cells, and its translation to the clinic is another challenge in the area of H2S research.
Future Directions:
Defining the mechanism by which H2S acts as an inflammatory mediator will help us better understand different inflammatory diseases and help develop novel therapeutic approaches for these diseases.
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