OBJECTIVEPrevious studies have shown that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) plays key roles in a number of biological processes, including vasorelaxation, inflammation, apoptosis, ischemia/reperfusion and oxidative stress, which are involved in the pathogenesis of myocarditis. This study aimed to examine the expression of cystathionine-γ-lyase(CSE)/H2S pathway in mice with viral myocarditis.

METHODSSix-week-old inbred male mice were randomly assigned to control (n=25) and myocarditis group (n=30). The myocarditis and the control groups were inoculated intraperitoneally with 0.1 mL 10-5.69TCID50/mL CVB3 or vehicle (PBS) alone respectively. Ten mice were sacrificed 4 and 10 days after injection. Blood and heart specimens were harvested for measuring the content of serum H2S and the H2S production rates in cardiac tissues. Heart sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Immunohistochemisty was used to detect the CSE protein expression in the heart.

RESULTSIn the myocarditis group, the serum H2S content and H2S production rates in cardiac tissues were significantly higher than those in the control group 4 and 10 days after injection (P<0.05). The expression of CSE protein in the heart in the myocarditis group was also significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCSE and its downstream production H2S increase in mice with acute viral myocarditis. The increased expression of CSE/H2S pathway might be involved in the pathogenesis of viral myocarditis.