Effects of hydrogen sulfide on kidney injury after extremity explosion injury in rats

Objective To observe the effects of hydrogen sulfide(H₂S) on kidney injury after extremity explosion injury in rats and search for potential values for explosion injury. Methods Extremity explosion injury was modeled. Healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups of explosion injury(I, n=8), H₂S(H₂S:10 mg/kg NaHS, ip, n=8), PAG(50 mg/kg PAG, ip, n=8) and control(C:n=8). Left kidney and blood samples were harvested. The activity of cystathionine-γ-lyase(CSE) in kidney homogenate and the concentrations of H₂S, urea nitrogen and creatinine in plasma were detected;the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α) and the activities of malondialdehyde(MDA), myeloperoxidase(MPO) and superoxide dismutase(SOD) were quantified in kidney homogenate;kidney pathological changes were observed. Results After explosion injury, CSE activity in lung homogenate and H₂S concentration in plasma decreased markedly(P<0.01);concentrations of TNF-α and MDA and MPO activity in kidney homogenate spiked markedly(P<0.01), SOD activity declined markedly(P<0.01). Severe edema of tubular epithelial cell was noted with an infiltration of inflammatory cells. However in H₂S group, concentrations of TNF-α and MDA and MPO activity dropped markedly(P<0.05), SOD activity rose markedly(P<0.01) and tubular epithelial cell edema, interstitial renal vascular congestion and inflammatory cell infiltration became greatly relieved. After PAG dosing in PAG group, concentrations of TNF-α and MDA and MPO activity spiked markedly(P<0.05) and SOD activity declined. There was no statistical significance(P>0.05). Conclusion Extremity explosion injury leads to acute kidney injury. And kidney CSE/H₂S may play an important protective role in acute kidney injury through relieving inflammatory reactions and blunting peroxidation.