Abstract 132: A Novel Hydrogen Sulfide (H ₂ S) Prodrug, SG1002, Protects Against Myocardial Oxidative Damage and Hypertrophic Signaling via Induction of Cystathionine Β-Synthase (CBS) and Antioxidant Proteins

Background: Endogenously produced H 2 S is critical for cardiovascular homeostasis. Therapeutic strategies aimed at increasing H 2 S levels have proven cardioprotective in models of acute myocardial infarction and heart failure (HF). The present study was under taken to investigate the effects of a novel H 2 S prodrug, SG1002, on stress induced hypertrophic signaling in murine HL1 cardiomyocytes. Methods: HL1 cells were maintained either in serum starvation (1%) or serum containing (10%) media followed by treatment either with SG1002 or H 2 O 2 , or endothelin-1 (ET-1)/phenylephrine (Phe) or in combination. Treated cells were analyzed for specific experimental needs. Results: SG1002 significantly increased cellular levels of the H 2 S producing enzyme, CBS, as well as production of H 2 S and nitrosothiol in HL1 cells cultured both in serum starvation or serum containing media. SG1002 significantly inhibited H 2 O 2 and ET-1/Phe induced oxidative stress in both culture media as measured by advanced protein oxidation products and MDA levels. Expression of ANP and BNP were markedly attenuated by SG1002 treatment. Cells cultured in media supplemented with serum containing H 2 O 2 /(ET-1 or Phe) or in 1% serum exhibited decreased levels of CBS, SOD1, and catalase. When the HL1 cells were coincubated with SG1002 cellular damage from oxidative stress was significantly attenuated accompanied by an increase in CBS expression. Conclusion: Our data clearly demonstrate that SG1002 attenuates myocardial cellular damage via increasing antioxidant proteins. SG1002 directly increases H 2 S levels and upregulates CBS. Studies are currently underway to evaluate the clinical utility of SG1002 in HF.