ObjectiveHydrogen sulfide (HS), a gaseous signal molecule, plays a crucial role in many pathophysiologic processes in the cardiovascular system. Autophagy has been shown to participate in the occurrence of many cardiac diseases. Increasing evidences indicated that HS regulates myocardial structure and function in association with the altered autophagy and plays a "switcher" role in the autophagy of myocardial diseases. The aim of this review was to summarize these insights and provide the experimental evidence that HS targets cardiomyocyte autophagy to regulate cardiovascular function.

Data SourcesThis review was based on data in articles published in the PubMed databases up to October 30, 2017, with the following keywords: "hydrogen sulfide," "autophagy," and "cardiovascular diseases."

Study SelectionOriginal articles and critical reviews on HS and autophagy were selected for this review.

ResultsWhen autophagy plays an adaptive role in the pathogenesis of diseases, HS restores autophagy; otherwise, when autophagy plays a detrimental role, HS downregulates autophagy to exert a cardioprotective function. For example, HS has beneficial effects by regulating autophagy in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion and plays a protective role by inhibiting autophagy during the operation of cardioplegia and cardiopulmonary bypass. HS postpones cardiac aging associated with the upregulation of autophagy but improves the left ventricular function of smoking rats by lowering autophagy.

ConclusionsHS exerts cardiovascular protection by regulating autophagy. Cardiovascular autophagy would likely become a potential target of HS therapy for cardiovascular diseases.